2022/07/12 by S. Baran, Baran, Stanisław, Aleksandra Deptuch +9
Physics and Astronomy · Materials Science · #Rare-earth and actinide compounds #Boron and Carbon Nanomaterials Research #Magnetic Properties of Alloys
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2207.05651
Crystal and magnetic structures of R2Ni2In (R = Tb and Ho) have been studied by powder neutron diffraction at low temperatures. The compounds crystallize in an orthorhombic crystal structure of the Mn2AlB2-type. At low temperatures, the magnetic moments localized solely on the rare earth atoms form antiferromagnetic structures. The Tb magnetic moments, equal to 8.65(6) μB and parallel to the c-axis, form a collinear magnetic structure described by the propagation vector \boldsymbolk = [(1)/(2), (1)/(2), (1)/(2)]. This magnetic structure is stable up to the Néel temperature equal to 40 K. For Ho2Ni2In a complex, temperature-dependent magnetic structure is detected. In the temperature range 3.5-8.6 K, an incommensurate magnetic structure, described by the propagation vector \boldsymbolk1 = [0.76, 0, 0.52] is observed, while in the temperature interval 2.2-3.1 K the magnetic order is described by two propagation vectors, namely, \boldsymbolk2 = [(5)/(6), 0.16, (1)/(2)] and its third harmonics 3\boldsymbolk2 = [(5)/(2), 0.48, (3)/(2)]. Below 2 K, a coexistence of all magnetic structures detected at higher temperatures is observed. For all magnetic phases, the Ho magnetic moments are parallel to the c-axis. The low temperature heat capacity data confirm a first order transition near 3 K.