Electronic structure and thermoelectric power of CeNi 4Si

Abstract

The studies of the thermoelectric power and band structure calculations for CeNi 4Si are reported. These studied are supported by magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, specific heat and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements. CeNi 4Si is paramagnetic down to 2 K and follows the Curie–Weiss law with μ eff = 0.52 μ B/f.u. and the paramagnetic Curie temperature θ P = −2 K. This effective paramagnetic moment is lower than the free Ce 3+ value. The obtained values for the f occupancy n f and for the coupling Δ of the f level with the conduction states are in good agreement with the values found for mixed valence compounds. Below the Fermi energy the total density of states contains mainly the d states of Ni atoms. The narrow peaks of the f states of Ce atoms were found above the Fermi level. CeNi 4Si is characterized by γ = 16 mJ mol −1 K −2 and θ D = 335 K.