Magnetic structure of the inverse perovskite (Ce 3N)In

Abstract

Single-phase microcrystalline powder (Ce 3N)In was prepared by reaction of CeN, Ce and In. The magnetic moments located on the cerium atoms in the inverse cubic perovskite (space group P m 3 ¯ m , Z = 1, a = 5.0416(4) Å) order antiferromagnetically below 9(1) K. Application of an external magnetic field reveals a multistep metamagnetic behavior. Neutron diffraction was performed at various temperatures without application of external magnetic fields. Below T N additional reflections due to magnetic order correspond to a magnetic propagation vector of k = (0, ½, ½). Refinements of the magnetic structure well below T N lead to three independent magnetic substructures parallel to the crystallographic axes. All three magnetic substructures are internally antiferromagnetically ordered resulting in a zero net magnetic moment.