Magnetic Anisotropy of Gd Metal at 4 K under Pressure

Abstract
Measurements are presented of the magnetic crystalline anisotropy of a spherical single crystal of gadolinium metal of high purity (about 0.01 wt.% oxide) at 4.2 K, at atmospheric pressure and at near-hydrostatic pressures up to 6 kbar. The magnetic anisotropy is strongly pressure dependent. It is suggested that part of this anisotropy is caused by the movement through the Fermi level of a small peak in the density of electron states curve.