Superzone gap formation and low lying crystal electric field levels in PrPd${}_2$Ge${}_2$ single crystal

Abstract

The magnetocrystalline anisotropy exhibited in PrPd${}_2$Ge${}_2$ single crystal has been investigated by measuring the magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and heat capacity. PrPd${}_2$Ge${}_2$ crystallizes in the well known ThCr${}_2$Si${}_2$\--type tetragonal structure. The antiferromagnetic ordering is confirmed as 5.1~K with the [001]-axis as the easy axis of magnetization. A superzone gap formation is observed from the electrical resistivity measurement when the current is passed along the [001] direction. The crystal electric field (CEF) analysis on the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization and the heat capacity measurements confirms a doublet ground state with a relatively low over all CEF level splitting. The CEF level spacings and the Zeeman splitting at high fields become comparable and lead to metamagnetic transition at 34~T due to the CEF level crossing.