Structure, magnetism, and transport of single-crystalline RNiSi3 (R = Y, Gd-Tm, Lu)

Author(s)

Arantes, Fabiana R. ^[1] ; Aristizabal-Giraldo, Deisy ^{[1, 2]} ; Masunaga, Sueli H. ^{[3, 4]} ; Costa, Fanny N. ^[1] ; Ferreira, Fabio F. ^[1] ; Takabatake, Toshiro ^[5] ; Mendonca-Ferreira, Leticie ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Raquel A. ^[1] ; Avila, Marcos A. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Abc, CCNH, Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Antioquia, Inst Fis, Medellin - Colombia

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Ctr Univ FEI, Sao Bernardo Do Campo, SP - Brazil

^[5] Hiroshima Univ, Grad Sch Adv Sci Matter, Higashihiroshima - Japan

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PHYSICAL REVIEW MATERIALS; v. 2, n. 4 APR 6 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

We report on the physical properties of the intermetallic series RNiSi3 (R = Y, Gd-Tm, Lu). High quality single crystals with platelike morphology were grown using the Sn fluxmethod. X-ray powder diffraction data show that this series crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmmm, and Laue patterns indicate that the b axis remains perpendicular to the plane of the plates. Magnetization measurements show anisotropic antiferromagnetic ground states for R = Gd-Tm with Neel temperatures ranging from T-N = 2.6 K (TmNiSi3) up to 32.2 K (TbNiSi3), as well as metamagnetic transitions that in some cases appear together with hysteresis (TbNiSi3, DyNiSi3, and HoNiSi3). The easy axis changes from a axis to b axis on going from R = Gd-Ho to R = Er-Tm. All transitions from antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic states are clearly marked by sharp peaks in specific heat as well as in the derivative of resistivity measurements, which show metallic temperature dependence for all compounds and residual values in the range of 1 mu Omega cm. DyNiSi3 has two close phase transitions, while HoNiSi3 presents distinct critical temperatures for applied fields in the a or c directions (10.4 and 6.3 K, respectively), pointing to possible component-specific ordering of the local magnetic moments. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/17562-9 - Preparation of oriented single crystals for studies on electronic, magnetic and thermal anisotropies
• Grantee: Marcos de Abreu Avila
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/19924-2 - Study and development of advanced novel materials: electronic, magnetic and nanostructured: an interdisciplinary approach
• Grantee: Carlos Rettori
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/20365-6 - Preparation and characterization of new thermoelectric clathrates containing trivalent rare earths and mixed acceptors
• Grantee: Fabiana Rodrigues Arantes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral