Open AccessCrystal and Magnetic Structures of the Ternary Ho2Ni0.8Si1.2 and Ho2Ni0.8Ge1.2 Compounds: An Example of Intermetallics Crystallizing with the Zr2Ni1–xP Prototype
Author(s) -
A. Provino,
C. Ritter,
Volodymyr Smetana,
AnjaVerena Mudring,
M. Pani,
V. K. Pecharsky,
P. Manfrinetti
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 233
eISSN - 1520-510X
pISSN - 0020-1669
DOI - 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02211
Subject(s) - germanide , crystallography , chemistry , antiferromagnetism , ferrimagnetism , magnetization , intermetallic , neutron diffraction , ternary operation , ferromagnetism , orthorhombic crystal system , crystal structure , magnetic structure , magnetic susceptibility , paramagnetism , condensed matter physics , germanium , magnetic field , silicon , physics , alloy , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , computer science , programming language
We report two new rare-earth (R) ternary intermetallic compounds-Ho 2 Ni 0.8 T 1.2 with T = Si and Ge-that correspond to the R 5 Ni 2 T 3 phase earlier reported to form in Dy-Ni-T and Ho-Ni-T ternary systems. The compounds crystallize in a filled version of the orthorhombic Zr 2 Ni 1- x P-type structure with x = 0.52; their stoichiometry, determined from both single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction data, is centered on Ho 2 Ni 0.8 T 1.2 with a narrow solid solubility range for the silicide, while the germanide appears to be a line phase. In addition to R = Dy and Ho, R 2 Ni 0.8 T 1.2 compounds also form for R = Y and Tb, representing the first examples of rare-earth-based compounds adopting the Zr 2 Ni 1- x P structural prototype. Bulk magnetization data reveal the main transitions of the ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic type at T C = 38 K for Ho 2 Ni 0.8 Si 1.2 and T C = 37 K for Ho 2 Ni 0.8 Ge 1.2 , which are followed by subsequent magnetic reordering at lower temperatures. Neutron diffraction shows complex magnetic structures below T C with both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic components and magnetic propagation vector κ 1 = [0, 0, 0]. Below T N ≅ 24 K (22 K) for the silicide (germanide), an additional antiferromagnetic coupling following an incommensurate magnetic propagation vector κ 2 = [κ x , 0, 0] appears to coexist with the first magnetic structure.