Local magnetic properties of multiferroic Nd0.5Gd0.5Fe3(BO3)4 in the excited states of Nd3+ ion

Abstract Polarized absorption spectra of single-crystal Nd 0.5 Gd 0.5 Fe 3 (BO 3 ) 4 were studied in the region of the transition 4 I 9/2 →( 4 G 5/2 + 2 G 7/2 ) in Nd 3+ ion as a function of temperature (2–34 K) and magnetic field (0–65 kOe). The spectra of natural circular dichroism were measured in the range of 5–40 K. It was found out that the local magnetic properties in the vicinity of the excited ion substantially depended on its state. In particular, a weak ferromagnetic moment appears in some excited states. It was found out that the selection rules for electron transitions in the magnetically ordered state substantially deviated from those in the paramagnetic state of the crystal. They are different for different transitions and they are very sensitive to the orientation of the sublattice magnetic moment relative to the light polarization. In the spectrum of the natural circular dichroism, the transition is revealed which is not observed in the absorption spectrum.