7.

7 Zlansition Metals and Alloys 397

The Stoner criterion (7.24) predicts that if EF lies in a strong max-

imum of the density of states then a relatively small I (or U )may be
enough to drive the system ferromagnetic. It is a pure band structure
effect: there is no need for the system to contain atoms which we ordi-
narily call magnetic (e.g., iron). A case in point is ZrZn2, the ordered

which ranges (for various samples) from

example would be TiBe2 [442].
- 21K to -
alloy of two nonmagnetic metals, which becomes ferromagnetic at a Tc
27K. Another

Very weak itinerant ferromagnets are systems for which the Stoner
criterion is only marginally satisfied so that I ~ ( E -
F 1) is a small param-
eter. The details of the corresponding mean field theory are relegated
to Problem 7.3 (see p. 409); here we merely quote the results. We find
that both Tc, and the T = 0 band polarization m(0) are small, being
proportional to d m . In the absence of an external field, the
order parameter follows

(7.101)

In an external field H , the behaviour is governed by the Edwards-

Wohlfarth [97] equation of the magnetic isotherms

(7.102)

It was suggested [217] that for ZrZn2, I ~ ( E F- )1 x .015, a very small

value indeed. The measured temperature dependence of the magnetiza-
tion (see Fig. 7.9) follows (7.101) beautifully in the entire range T 5 Tc.
Magnetization measurements in pulsed fields [266] demonstrated that
(7.102) is also well obeyed.
We contend that the weak ferromagnetism of ZrZn2 is an acciden-
tal consequence of its band structure: apparently, EF is located near a
sharp maximum in the density of states. If this picture is correct, then
it should follow that the analogous 5d compound HfZn2 which has the
same crystal structure, and number of d-electrons, behaves similarly.

-
Indeed, experiments show that HfZn2 is an exchange enhanced param-
agnet, with an estimated I ~ ( E F )0.81 [218]. Though the material does
not manage to reach the ferromagnetic state, its x(T = 0) is uniquely