Multiple magnetic transitions in single crystals of Ce12Fe57.5As41 and La12Fe57.5As41

Abstract

Measurements of magnetic and transport properties were performed on needle-shaped single crystals of Ce12Fe57.5As41 and La12Fe57.5As41. The availability of a complete set of data enabled a side-by-side comparison between these two rare earth compounds. Both compounds exhibited multiple magnetic orders within 2-300 K and metamagnetic transitions at various fields. Ferromagnetic transitions with Curie temperatures of 100 and 125 K were found for Ce12Fe57.5As41 and La12Fe57.5As41, respectively, followed by antiferromagnetic type spin reorientations near Curie temperatures. The magnetic properties underwent complex evolution in the magnetic field for both compounds. An antiferromagnetic phase transition at about 60 K and 0.2 T was observed merely for Ce12Fe57.5As41. The field-induced magnetic phase transition occurred from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic structure. A strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy was evident from magnetization measurements of Ce12Fe57.5As41. A temperature-field phase diagram was present for these two rare earth systems. In addition, a logarithmic temperature dependence of electrical resistivity was observed in the two compounds within a large temperature range of 150-300 K, which is rarely found in 3D-based compounds. It may be related to Kondo scattering described by independent localized Fe 3d moments interacting with conduction electrons.