Solid-state 119Sn NMR and M¨ossbauer Spectroscopic Studies of the Intermediate-valent Stannide CeRuSn

Abstract

The ternary stannide CeRuSn is a static mixed-valent cerium compound with an ordering of trivalent and intermediate-valent cerium on two distinct crystallographic sites. 119Sn Mössbauer spectra showed two electronically almost identical tin atoms at 323 K, while at 298 K and below (77 and 4:2 K) two tin sites can clearly be distinguished. Solid-state 119Sn NMR experiments were performed to probe the local hyperfine fields at the two different Sn sites. Powder 119Sn NMR spectra are nicely fitted with two Sn sites with nearly the same magnetic anisotropy, but with different absolute shift values. Both Sn sites are strongly affected by crossover-like transitions between 100 and 280 K. This local-site study confirms the superstructure modulations found in previous investigations. Towards lower temperatures the powder NMR spectra are broadened giving strong precursor evidence for the antiferromagnetically ordered ground state.