Magnetic structures of R2RhSi3 (R=Ho, Er) compounds

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2003-10, Vol.360 (1-2), p.76-80
• Main Authors: BAZELA, W, WAWRZYNSKA, E, PENC, B, STÜSSER, N, SZYTUŁA, A, ZYGMUNT, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Exact sciences and technology; Inorganic compounds; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetization curves, hysteresis, Barkhausen and related effects; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-8388(03)00374-8

Powder X-ray and neutron diffraction and magnetic measurements have been performed on R2RhSi3 (R=Ho and Er) compounds at low temperatures. The compounds crystallize in a derivative of the hexagonal AlB2-type structure. The crystal structure parameters have been refined on the basis of the X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns collected in the paramagnetic region. These compounds are antiferromagnets with Neel temperatures of 5.2 K for Ho2RhSi3 and 5 K for Er2RhSi3. Both compounds exhibit collinear magnetic structures, described by the propagation vector k = (1 /2,0,0) for Ho2RhSi3 and k = (0,0,0) for Er2RhSi3. This magnetic order is stable in the temperature range between 1.5 K and the Neel temperature.