Antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice compound CePt${}_3$P

Abstract

A new ternary platinum phosphide CePt${}_3$P was synthesized and characterized by means of magnetic, thermodynamic and transport measurements. The compound crystallizes in an antiperovskite tetragonal structure similar to that in the canonical family of platinum-based superconductors $A$Pt${}_3$P ($A$ = Sr, Ca, La) and closely related to the noncentrosymmetric heavy fermion superconductor CePt${}_3$Si. In contrast to all the superconducting counterparts, however, no superconductivity is observed in CePt${}_3$P down to 0.5 K. Instead, CePt${}_3$P displays a coexistence of antiferromagnetic ordering, Kondo effect and crystalline electric field effect. A field-induced spin-flop transition is observed below the magnetic ordering temperature $T_{N1}$ of 3.0 K while the Kondo temperature is of similar magnitude as $T_{N1}$. The obtained Sommerfeld coefficient of electronic specific heat is ${\hat{I}}_{Ce}^3$ = 86 mJ/molK${}^2$ indicating that CePt${}_3$P is a moderately correlated antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice compound.

5 figures, 1 table, accepted to Scientific Report