Neutron-diffraction study of ferrimagnetic DyCo3

We have studied the intermetallic compound Dy${\mathrm{Co}}_3$ by neutron diffraction. It was found to be ferrimagnetic with cobalt moments antiparallel to the dysprosium moments. At 80 and 300 K the easy-magnetization axis is perpendicular to the hexagonal $c$ axis; at 400 K the moments are parallel to $c$. Experimental data and crystalfield calculations, based on the point-charge model, are in agreement under the assumption that the two different crystallographic sites of dysprosium have anisotropy directions perpendicular to each other.