Abstract
We report on the magnetic phase diagram of the distorted kagome-lattice antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{U}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{4}{\mathrm{Al}}_{12}$ determined through measurements of magnetic and elastic properties. For field applied along the [100] and [120] axes of the hexagonal crystal structure, we find pronounced anomalies in the magnetization and elastic moduli that signal the existence of unknown magnetic phases. Our crystal-electric-field (CEF) analysis evidences interlevel quadrupolar interactions between the ground-state singlet and the first excited doublet. These interactions lead to a large softening of the shear elastic modulus ${C}_{44}$. The large number of phases and pronounced elastic softening suggest that geometric frustrations and CEF effects play an important role in the physical properties of ${\mathrm{U}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{4}{\mathrm{Al}}_{12}$.
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