Pressure-induced structural and magnetic phase transitions in CeZn.

Abstract

Neutron-diffraction studies with pressures up to 12 kbar have been performed on a CeZn single crystal. At 12 kbar, a pressure-induced ferromagnetic phase with a Ce moment of 1.6{mu}{sub {ital B}}/atom exists below {Tc}=12 K and a cubic to rhombohedral transition occurs at {ital T}{sub {ital M}}=60 K. Below 8 kbar, a collinear (00{pi}) antiferromagnetic structure is stable below {ital T}{sub {ital N}}{approximately}30 K, where a cubic-to-tetragonal transition occurs. Moreover, in the antiferromagnetic region, an application of pressure induces a tetragonal I ({ital c}/{ital a}{gt}1)--to--tetragonal II ({ital c}/{ital a}{lt}1) phase transition. At the boundary between antiferromagnetism and ferromagnetism around {ital p}=10.6 kbar, a mixed phase or a ferrimagnetic phase appears below {ital T}{sub {ital c}} with a complex structure which is a coexistent with both the tetragonal and rhombohedral distortions.