Crystal structure and magnetic properties of Dy11Ni4In9

Abstract

Abstract The work reports on the crystal structure and magnetic properties of Dy 11 Ni 4 In 9 . The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic Nd 11 Pd 4 In 9 -type structure (space group Cmmm ) with Dy atoms occupying five nonequivalent Wyckoff positions. Temperature dependences of specific heat as well as ac and dc magnetic susceptibility show a ferromagnetic-like ordering with T C = 86 K and additional magnetic transitions at lower temperatures. The fit to the reciprocal susceptibility data above 180 K, in a paramagnetic state, follows the Curie–Weiss law and provides μ eff = 10.86 μ B /Dy-atom (close to the theoretical value of 10.65 μ B for the free Dy 3+ ion) and a positive paramagnetic Curie temperature θ p = 28 K. Ni atoms are most likely nonmagnetic. The existence of a hysteresis loop below T C indicates a change of magnetic properties. The coercivity field is large at low temperatures (50 kOe at 1.9 K) and decreases gradually with increasing temperature down to 0.01 kOe at 75 K.