For Sm(3+) ions in a vast majority of metallic systems, the following
interesting scenario has been conjured up for long, namely, a magnetic lattice
of tiny self (spin-orbital) compensated 4f-moments exchange coupled (and phase
reversed) to the polarization in the conduction band. We report here the
identification of a self-compensation behavior in a variety of ferromagnetic Sm
intermetallics via the fingerprint of a shift in the magnetic hysteresis (M-H)
loop from the origin. Such an attribute, designated as exchange bias in the
context of ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic multilayers, accords these compounds
a potential for niche applications in spintronics. We also present results on
magnetic compensation behavior on small Gd doping (2.5 atomic percent) in one
of the Sm ferromagnets (viz. SmCu(4)Pd). The doped system responds like a
pseudo-ferrimagnet and it displays a characteristic left-shifted linear M-H
plot for an antiferromagnet.Comment: 7 pages and 7 figure
