  A systematic x-ray magnetic circular dichroism study of the paramagnetic
phase of ErCo2 has recently allowed to identify the inversion of the net
magnetization of the Co net moment with respect to the applied field well above
the ferrimagnetic ordering temperature, Tc. The study of small angle neutron
scattering measurements has also shown the presence of short range order
correlations in the same temperature region. This phenomenon, which we have
denoted parimagnetism, may be related with the onset of a Griffiths-like phase
in paramagnetic ErCo2. We have measured ac susceptibility on ErCo2 as a
function of temperature, applied field, and excitation frequency. Several
characteristics shared by systems showing a Griffiths phase are present in
ErCo2, namely the formation of ferromagnetic clusters in the disordered phase,
the loss of analyticity of the magnetic susceptibility and its extreme
sensitivity to an applied magnetic field. The paramagnetic susceptibility
allows to establish that the magnetic clusters are only formed by Co moments as
well as the intrinsic nature of those Co moments.
