Magnetic moments and exchange coupling in nitride clusterfullerenes GdxSc3–xN@C80 (x = 1–3)

Abstract

The magnetic properties of nitride clusterfullerenes Gd_xSc_3–xN@C₈₀ (x = 1–3) are studied as a function of the number of Gd atoms in the cluster. The intracluster interaction of the Gd ions in Gd₂ScN@C₈₀ and Gd₃N@C₈₀ is ferromagnetic with exchange constants of −1.2 K ± 0.1 K and −0.6 K ± 0.1 K, respectively. At 2 K, the magnetization curves exhibit noticeable deviations from the Heisenberg model pointing to a non-negligible anisotropy.