Critical behavior in the itinerant ferromagnet SmMn2Ge2

Abstract

Transition metal and rare earth intermetallics have been a fertile playground for research of various quantum states. We report detailed magnetic studies on SmMn2Ge2, an anisotropic itinerant magnet with multiple magnetic phases. The critical behavior of the ferromagnetic phase transition is investigated by employing the modified Arrott plot with the Kouvel–Fisher method. The critical temperature T C is determined to be around 342.7 K with critical exponents of β = 0.417 and γ = 1.122, and the interaction function is found to be J(r) ∼ r −4.68, suggesting the coexistence of long-range and short-range magnetic interactions. Our results contribute to the understanding of complex magnetism in SmMn2Ge2, which may provide fundamental guidance in future spintronic applications.