  Intermetallic compounds R2Fe17 are perspective for applications as permanent
magnets. Technologically these systems must have Curie temperature Tc much
higher than room temperature and preferably have easy axis anisotropy. At the
moment highest Tc among stoichiometric R2Fe17 materials is 476 K, which is not
high enough. There are two possibilities to increase Tc: substitution of Fe
ions with non-magnetic elements or introduction of light elements into
interstitial positions. In this work we have focused our attention on
substitution scenario of Curie temperature rising observed experimentally in
Gd(2)Fe(17-x)Ga(x) (x=0,3,6) compounds. In the framework of the LSDA approach
electronic structure and magnetic properties of the compounds were calculated.
Ab initio exchange interaction parameters within the Fe sublattice for all
nearest Fe ions were obtained. Employing the theoretical values of exchange
parameters Curie temperatures Tc of Gd(2)Fe(17-x)Ga(x) within mean-field theory
were estimated. Obtained values of Tc agree well with experiment. Also LSDA
computed values of total magnetic moment coincide with experimental ones.
