Magnetoelastic Interactions in the Rare Earth – Iron Cubic Laves Phase Compounds RFe2

Abstract

Finite strain theory is used to obtain expressions for the change in various measured elastic constants as a function of applied magnetic field for cubic ferromagnets. Using available data on magnetic anisotropy and magnetostriction, estimates are given for the size of effects that may be expected to be observed in the rare earth – iron cubic Laves phase compounds RFe2 (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm). The fractional changes in the measured elastic constants for transverse waves are expected to be as large as 10−2 at room temperature.