Abstract
The rattling motion has been intensively investigated in filled skutterudite compounds and clathrate compounds. In filled skutterudite R Fe 4 Sb 12 compounds, LaFe 4 Sb 12 shows ultrasonic frequency dispersion of elastic moduli which suggests the thermal rattling motion between 35 and 80 K. To investigate an influence of the rattling motion of Pr atoms to the lattice system in PrFe 4 Sb 12 , we measured temperature dependence of elastic modulus C 44 of a single crystalline sample. We have found ultrasonic dispersion in elastic modulus C 44 between 40 and 80 K, suggesting the rattling motion of Pr atoms. We analyzed C 44 by the CEF effect and Debye-type formula and obtained a relaxation time 3.0 ×10 -12 s and an activation energy 360 K of the rattling motion.
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