Magnetic structure of selected Gd intermetallic alloys from first principles

Using first-principles calculations, based on disordered local moment (DLM) theory combined with the self-interaction corrected local spin density approximation (SIC-LSDA), we study magnetic correlations in the paramagnetic state of $\mathrm{Gd}X\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(X$=Cu, Zn, Ga, Ag, Cd, In, Au, Hg, and Tl) intermetallics and their alloys. The predicted magnetic orders and ordering temperatures that these correlations lead to are in overall good agreement with available experiments. The interactions between the Gd $f$-electron local moments are mediated by the valence electrons of the intermetallics which comprise both Gd and $X\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}d$ bands as well as $sp$ bands. There are RKKY-like features such as dependence on the number of $sp$-valence electrons but other variations manifest themselves in the phase diagrams as regions of incommensurate magnetic ordering, the origin and range of which are related to the binding energies of the alloying anion $d$ states, and their propensity to hybridize with the Gd states at the Fermi level.