Electrical and magnetic properties of La${}_{0.5}$Rh${}_4$Sb${}_{12}$ filled skutterudite synthesized at high pressure

Abstract

A filled skutterudite, La${}_{0.5}$Rh${}_4$Sb${}_{12}$, with a lattice constant of 9.284(2) Å was synthesized using a high-pressure technique. The electrical resistivity showed semiconducting behavior and the energy gap was estimated to be more than 0.08 eV. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated temperature-independent diamagnetism, which originates from Larmor diamagnetism. The electrical properties of this compound are more similar to those of the La${}_{0.5}$Rh${}_4$As${}_{12}$ semiconductor with an energy gap of 0.03 eV than to those of the La${}_{0.6}$Rh${}_4$P${}_{12}$ superconductor.

12 pages, 3 figures