New ternary silicides in rare earth-rhodium-silicon systems. Crystal structure and magnetic properties

Abstract

New ternary silicides have been prepared in rare earth-rhodium-silicon systems. They have the hexagonal CeCo 3B 2- type structure (space group P6/ mmm-D 1 6 h ) with the general formulae RERh 3Si 2 (RE = Y, La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er). Except the Y and La compounds which are diamagnetic, they are ferromagnetically ordered at low temperature. No superconductivity has been found for YRh 3Si 2 and LaRh 3Si 2 at temperatures as low as 50 mK.