The magnetic structure and spin‐reorientation of ErGa.

The magnetic structure of the intermetallic compound ErGa has been determined using high‐resolution neutron powder diffraction. This compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic (Cmcm, No. 63) CrB‐type structure and orders ferromagnetically at 32 (2) K, with the Er moments initially aligned along the b axis. Upon cooling below 16 K, the Er magnetic moments cant away from the b axis towards the c axis. At 3 K, the Er moment is 8.7 (3) μB and the Er magnetic moments point in the direction 31 (3)° away from the crystallographic b axis, within the bc plane. 166Er Mössbauer spectroscopy work supports this structure and shows clear signals of the spin‐reorientation in both the magnetic and electric quadrupole hyperfine interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]