Temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of intermetallic compounds Ho$_x$Y$_{1-x}$Fe$_2$ ($x=0.1\div1$)

The paper presents the results of experimental studies on the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of quasi-binary compounds Ho$_x$Y$_{1-x}$Fe$_2$ ($x=0.1\div1$) with the structure of the cubic Laves phase (C15) in the temperature range of 1.5—120 K. Differential magnetic susceptibility of samples containing Ho atoms was found to behave anomalously. Maximum susceptibility temperature at $x=0.28$ corresponds to the minimum magnetic moment per formula unit. A physical nature of such anomalies is discussed.