Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy in Single Crystal Gd$_{5}$ Si$_{2.7}$ Ge$_{1.3}$ and Gd$_{5}$ Si$_{2}$ Ge$_{2}$

Gd
₅
(Si
_x
Ge
_1-x
)
₄
exhibits uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. There are few reports on direct magnetic measurements on principle and non-principal axis to determine the uniaxial nature of magnetocrystalline anisotropy. In this paper we confirm the nature of magnetocrystalline anisotropy to be uniaxial in single crystal Gd
₅
Si
_2.7
Ge
_1.3
(x=0.675) sample using magnetic moment versus angle of rotation measurements. The first order magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant was also calculated on single crystal Gd
₅
Si
_2.7
Ge
_1.3
(x=0.675) sample using magnetic moment versus magnetic field measurements on easy and hard axes. Effect of magnetocrystalline anisotropy on determination of the first order phase transition temperature of the sample was determined to be negligible in single crystal Gd
₅
Si
₂
Ge
₂
sample using magnetic moment versus temperature measurement at various orientations of the sample.