Magnetic Anisotropy in Quaternary Intermetallic Compound <i>ErNi2B2C</i>

From the c-axis resistivity ρ_c(H,T) of quaternary intermetallic compound ErNi₂B₂C for various temperature region and magnetic fields with H∥c and ∥ab of crystallographic axis which has the superconducting transition temperature T_c (10.8K for H=0 G) and Néel temperature T_N ( 5.58K for H=0 G), magnetic anisotropy has been studied. From these ρ_c(H,T)’s, the superconducting upper critical field H_C2(T) curves were investigated for H ∥c and H ∥ ab of crystallographic axis and its anisotropy in H_c2(T) curves is compared and discussed with the previous reported results from ab-plane ρ_ab(H,T) measurements considering the anisotropic field dependence of Néel temperature and magnetic pair breaking which maybe arisen from the Er⁺³ sublattice.