Ultrasonic investigations of antiferro-quadrupole ordering in Pr1-xLaxPb3(x = 0,0.02)

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 310; no. 2; pp. 801 - 803
• Main Authors: FUKUURA, Motoi, JUMONJI, Shinya, NEMOTO, Yuichi, GOTO, Terutaka, SUZUKI, Hiroyuki. S, SAKAKIBARA, Toshiro
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Science 01-03-2007
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Physics; Spin arrangements in magnetically ordered materials (including neutron and spin-polarized electron studies, synchrotron-source x-ray scattering, etc.); Antiferromagnetism; Elastic constant; Elastic constants; PrPb3; Ground states; Magnetic field effects; Elasticity; 75.20.Hr; Crystal field; Monocrystals; Temperature effects; 71.70.-d; Anomaly; Quadrupole moments; Antiferro-quadrupolar (AFQ) ordering; Non-Kramers doublet; Ultrasonic method; 75.30.Kz
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.202

We have investigated elastic properties of a single crystal PrPb3 showing antiferro-quadrupole (AFQ) ordering at using ultrasonic measurements. Since the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) ground state of PrPb3 is a non-Kramers Gamma3 doublet having quadrupolar moments and , the temperature dependence of a transverse (C11-C12)/2 mode shows a curie-type softening with decreasing temperature toward TQ. Furthermore, an anomaly accompanying a lock-in transition of AFQ ordering was observed in (C11-C12)/2 on PrPb3 at . In the case of Pr0.98La0.02Pb3, (C11-C12)/2 exhibits softening with decreasing temperature and shows a broad minimum at . We have observed a large attenuation of the (C11-C12)/2 mode in applying magnetic fields up to .