Structure and physical properties of RE 2Ge 2In ( RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd)

• Published in: Solid state sciences Vol. 6; no. 11; pp. 1301 - 1306
• Main Authors: Zaremba, Vasyl' I., Kaczorowski, Dariusz, Nychyporuk, Galyna P., Rodewald, Ute Ch, Pöttgen, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 01-11-2004
• Subjects: Crystal structure; Electrical resistivity; Germanides; Indium; Magnetism; Magnetism; Indium; Electrical resistivity; Germanides; Crystal structure
• ISSN: 1293-2558; 1873-3085
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2004.06.011

The rare earth compounds
RE
2Ge
2In (
RE
=
La
, Ce, Pr, Nd) were synthesized by arc-melting the elements under argon and investigated by X-ray diffraction on both powders and single crystals. The structures of the praseodymium and neodymium compounds have been refined on the basis of the single crystal data: Mo
2FeB
2 type,
P
4
/
m
b
m
,
a
=
753.2
(
1
)

pm
,
c
=
434.69
(
6
)

pm
,
w
R
2
=
0.0701
, 272
F
2
values for Pr
2Ge
2In and
a
=
749.6
(
1
)

pm
,
c
=
432.49
(
7
)

pm
,
w
R
2
=
0.0457
, 317
F
2
values for Nd
2Ge
2In, with 12 variable parameters for each refinement. These structures can be considered as intergrowths of distorted AlB
2 and CsCl related slabs of compositions
REGe
2 and
REIn, respectively. The Ge
Ge distances within the AlB
2 slabs are 253 pm for both Pr
2Ge
2In and Nd
2Ge
2In. Magnetic measurements have indicated that La
2Ge
2In is a diamagnet, whereas Ce
2Ge
2In, Pr
2Ge
2In and Nd
2Ge
2In exhibit localized magnetism of
RE
3+ ions with complex behavior at the lowest temperatures hinting at canted antiferromagnetism or spin glass freezing. All four compounds studied show metallic electrical conductivity.