Kundu Mily, Pakhira Santanu, Choudhary Renu, Paudyal Durga, Lakshminarasimhan N, Avdeev Maxim, Cottrell Stephen, Adroja Devashibhai, Ranganathan R, Mazumdar Chandan
Condensed Matter Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064 India.
Ames Laboratory-USDOE, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 USA.
Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 24;11(1):13245. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90751-0.
Ternary intermetallic compound [Formula: see text] has been synthesized in single phase and characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis, magnetization, heat capacity, neutron diffraction and muon spin rotation/relaxation ([Formula: see text]SR) measurements. The polycrystalline compound was synthesized in single phase by introducing necessary vacancies in Co/Si sites. Magnetic, heat capacity, and zero-field neutron diffraction studies reveal that the system undergoes magnetic transition below [Formula: see text]4 K. Neutron diffraction measurement further reveals that the magnetic ordering is antiferromagnetic in nature with an weak ordered moment. The high temperature magnetic phase has been attributed to glassy in nature consisting of ferromagnetic clusters of itinerant (3d) Co moments as evident by the development of internal field in zero-field [Formula: see text]SR below 50 K. The density-functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the low temperature magnetic transition is associated with antiferromagnetic coupling between Pr 4f and Co 3d spins. Pr moments show spin fluctuation along with unconventional orbital moment quenching due to crystal field. The evolution of the symmetry and the crystalline electric field environment of Pr-ions are also studied and compared theoretically between the elemental Pr and when it is coupled with other elements such as Co. The localized moment of Pr 4f and itinerant moment of Co 3d compete with each other below [Formula: see text]20 K resulting in an unusual temperature dependence of magnetic coercivity in the system.
三元金属间化合物[化学式:见原文]已被合成出单相,并通过X射线衍射、带有能量色散X射线光谱仪的扫描电子显微镜(SEM - EDX)分析、磁化强度、热容量、中子衍射以及μ子自旋旋转/弛豫(μSR)测量进行了表征。通过在Co/Si位点引入必要的空位,合成出了单相多晶化合物。磁性、热容量和零场中子衍射研究表明,该体系在4K以下发生磁转变。中子衍射测量进一步揭示,磁有序本质上是反铁磁性的,有序磁矩较弱。高温磁相被认为本质上是玻璃态的,由巡游(3d)Co磁矩的铁磁团簇组成,这在50K以下零场μSR中内场的发展中很明显。密度泛函理论(DFT)计算表明,低温磁转变与Pr 4f和Co 3d自旋之间的反铁磁耦合有关。Pr磁矩表现出自旋涨落以及由于晶体场导致的非常规轨道磁矩猝灭。还对Pr离子的对称性和晶体电场环境的演变进行了理论研究,并在元素Pr以及它与其他元素(如Co)耦合时进行了比较。在20K以下,Pr 4f的局域磁矩和Co 3d的巡游磁矩相互竞争,导致该体系中磁矫顽力出现异常的温度依赖性。