Magnetic behaviour of dilute Ce impurities in α-U: influence of f-band conduction electrons on moment instability

Abstract

We have measured magnetic susceptibility of dilute Ce impurities in the f-band metal α-U. The data show Curie-Weiss behaviour in the temperature range 4.2–300 K yielding a magnetic moment of ∼ 2 μ B/Ce and a spin fluctuation temperature T SF of < 10 K. The high value of Ce magnetic moment along with the small T SF value, in the small unit cell of U lattice, deviates strongly from the systematics of Ce magnetism in sp- and d-band metal hosts. The results indicate that magnetism of spin fluctuation of Ce in U is strongly influenced by the host f-band electrons.