We report a charge-transfer mechanism in tuning of magnetism of Nd-substituted Gd5-xNdxSi4 (x=1 and 2.5) compounds. The X-ray absorption near edge structure measurements demonstrated that Nd substitutions for Gd induce charge transfer of 5d electrons from Gd to Nd. The charge transfer weakens spin-orbital coupling of Gd but strengthens that of Nd. Consequently, the magnetization responses of the substituted compounds to low magnetic fields are increased while their saturation magnetization is reduced. Electronic structure calculations showed that the charge transfer stabilizes a ferromagnetic and a ferrimagnetic structure in the compounds with x = 1 and 2.5, respectively, but that it does not change the 5d–3p hybridization significantly. It is suggested that the charge transfer of 5d electrons may occur in other rare earth-substituted Gd5Si4 compounds allowing for tuning of their magnetism.
