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Magnetism of Rare‐Earth Cobalt Phosphides GdCo 3 P 2 and GdCo 5 P 3
Author(s) -
Thompson Corey M.,
Kovnir Kirill,
Zhou Haidong,
Shatruk Michael
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.354
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1521-3749
pISSN - 0044-2313
DOI - 10.1002/zaac.201100323
Subject(s) - antiferromagnetism , magnetism , gadolinium , paramagnetism , isostructural , magnetization , cobalt , crystallography , condensed matter physics , chemistry , crystal structure , spin canting , magnetic moment , materials science , magnetic field , physics , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Magnetic properties of GdCo 3 P 2 and GdCo 5 P 3 are reported. Both compounds are paramagnetic at room temperature. GdCo 3 P 2 undergoes an antiferromagnetic transition due to the ordering of gadolinium magnetic moments at 16 K. The cobalt atoms do not contribute to the magnetism of this compound. The antiferromagnetic transition is shifted to lower temperatures by an applied magnetic field, reaching 12 K at 0.60 T. Such behavior is attributed to spin canting or spin reorientation at higher fields. No such abrupt transition is observed in GdCo 5 P 3 , but the field dependence of magnetization at 1.8 K indicates canted antiferromagnetism. In addition, observation of distinct peaks in the AC magnetic susceptibility at 66 K, 54 K, and 48 K suggests occurrence of successive magnetic state changes. An examination of previously determined crystal structures of these solids reveals common structural elements derived from the [Co 2 P 2 ] layer present in the structure of RE Co 2 P 2 phases ( RE = rare earth; ThCr 2 Si 2 structure type). In GdCo 3 P 2 and GdCo 5 P 3 , such layers are truncated and form triangular patterns when viewed along the [010] crystallographic direction. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that GdCo 5 P 3 is isostructural to YCo 5 P 3 . The gadolinium atoms form chains along [010] with d (Gd–Gd) = 3.683 Å. In GdCo 3 P 2 , the gadolinium atoms form cobalt‐centered trigonal prisms with d (Gd–Gd) approx. 3.7–3.8 Å. The prisms share their trigonal faces to form columns along [010].