Magnetic properties of $R$Rh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ ($R$ = Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd-Er) single crystals

Abstract

Single crystals of $R$Rh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ ($R$ = Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd - Er) were synthesized using a Bi flux and their physical properties were characterized by magnetization, resistivity, and specific heat measurements. These compounds crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric LiCo${}_6$P${}_4$-type structure (space group $P\bar{6}m2$), where rare-earth atoms form a triangular lattice in the $ab$-plane and chains along the $c$-axis. PrRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ and ErRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ do not exhibit magnetic transitions above 0.4 K. NdRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ and SmRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ are ferromagnets, while GdRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ and DyRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ show antiferromagnetic transitions, \red{whereas HoRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ is a ferrimagnet}. In addition, DyRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$ shows multiple transitions and magnetization plateaus when a magnetic field is applied along the $c$-axis. In SmRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$, like the Ce counterpart, the crystalline-electric field (CEF) effect leads to an easy plane anisotropy, while in other compounds it gives rise to a pronounced uniaxial anisotropy.

12 pages, 13 figures

References in corpus (7)

• Heavy Fermions and Quantum Phase Transitions
• Rare earth engineering in RMn${}_6$Sn${}_6$ topological kagome magnets
• Multiple quantum phase transitions and superconductivity in Ce-based heavy fermions
• Anisotropic c-f hybridization in the ferromagnetic quantum critical metal CeRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$
• Unconventional fully-gapped superconductivity in the heavy-fermion metal CeCu${}_2$Si${}_2$
• Localized 4f-electrons in the quantum critical heavy fermion ferromagnet CeRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$
• Magnetic order and crystalline electric field excitations of the quantum critical heavy fermion ferromagnet CeRh${}_6$Ge${}_4$