On the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the ternary rare earth compounds RETSb2 with RE  rare earth and T  Ni, Pd, Cu and Au

Abstract

Novel compounds RETSb2 have been prepared and characterized for T  Cu (RE  rare earth from La to Lu), Ni (RE  La to Ho), Pd (RE  La to Tb) and Au (RE  La to Sm). From X-ray powder diffraction analyses all compounds were found to crystallize as the ZrCuSi2 type. Magnetic susceptibilities were generally measured in the temperature range from 4 to 100 K. YCuSb2 and LaTSbz are temperature-independent paramagnets. RETSb2 compounds are found to order antiferromagnetically below T  20 K. PrPdSb2 and TbPdSb2 undergo metamagnetic transitions, whereas PrCuSb2 and ErCuSb2 are simple ferromagnets. The Sm-containing compounds are typical Van Vleck paramagnets owing to the closely spaced multiplets.