Synthesis and characterization of the heavy-fermion compound CePtAl4Ge2

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 738; no. C; pp. 550 - 555
• Main Authors: Shin, Soohyeon, Rosa, Priscila F.S., Ronning, Filip, Thompson, Joe D., Scott, Brian L., Lee, Sangyun, Jang, Harim, Jung, Soon-Gil, Yun, Eunbhin, Lee, Hyoyoung, Bauer, Eric D., Park, Tuson
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier B.V 25-03-2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Al/Ge eutectic flux method; Antiferromagnetic ordering; Ce-based intermetallic; Heavy fermion; Material Science; MATERIALS SCIENCE; Al/Ge eutectic flux method; Antiferromagnetic ordering; Heavy fermion; Ce-based intermetallic
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2017.12.180

We report the synthesis of the Ce-based quaternary compound CePtAl4Ge2 that crystallizes in the trigonal structure (space group R3¯m, 166) with unit cell parameters, a = 4.1995(5) Å, c = 31.851(7) Å, and γ = 120°. Powder X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy show that CePtAl4Ge2 (LaPtAl4Ge2) is in a single, homogeneous phase. Magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and heat capacity measurements of CePtAl4Ge2 show that it exhibits antiferromagnetic behavior below 2.3 K. The magnetic susceptibility for the magnetic field applied perpendicular (χab) and parallel (χc) to the crystalline c-axis is very anisotropic, and the susceptibility ratio (χab/χc) reaches a maximum value of 10, indicating that the spin easy axis is within the Ce plane. The entropy recovered at TN is consistent with the doublet ground state of the crystal field split J = 5/2 multiplet of Ce3+ ions.
•CePtAl4Ge2 synthesized by the Al/Ge flux method adopts the trigonal structure.•CePtAl4Ge2 is an antiferromagnet with TN of 2.3 K.•CePtAl4Ge2 is a heavy fermion compound with the effective mass of 205 mJ mol−1 K−2.•The entropy at TN is consistent with the doublet ground state of J = 5/2 of Ce3+ ions.