Staircase effect in field-induced metamagnetic transitions in La0·9Ce0·1Fe12B6.

We report on peculiar magnetic-field-induced metamagnetic transitions in the antiferromagnetic itinerant-electron compound La 0·9 Ce 0·1 Fe 12 B 6. Below 8 K, the first magnetization curves display multiple steep jumps generating a staircase-like shape. Whereas the magnetization of La 0·9 Ce 0·1 Fe 12 B 6 varies smoothly with the external applied magnetic field at T ≥ 8 K. We further show that this staircase effect is extremely sensitive to the thermomagnetic history of the sample. • Antiferromagnetic ground state. • Staircase-like metamagnetic transitions. • Huge magnetic field hysteresis. • Strong magnetic-field-driven irreversibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]