Ternary rhombohedral Laves phases RE 2Rh3Ga (RE = Y, La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Er)

Abstract

Abstract: The ordered Laves phases RE 2Rh3Ga (RE=Y, La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Er) were synthesized by arc-melting of the elements and subsequent annealing. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). They crystallize with the rhombohedral Mg2Ni3Si type structure, space group R3̅m. Three structures were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: a=557.1(1), c=1183.1(2), wR2=0.0591, 159 F 2 values, 10 variables for Y2Rh3Ga, a=562.5(2), c=1194.4(2) pm, wR2=0.0519, 206 F 2 values, 11 variables for Ce2Rh3Ga and a=556.7(2), c=1184.1(3) pm, wR2=0.0396, 176 F 2 values, 11 variables for Tb2Rh3Ga. The Rh3Ga tetrahedra are condensed via common corners and the large cavities left by the network are filled by the rare earth atoms. The RE 2Rh3Ga Laves phases crystallize with a translationengleiche subgroup of the cubic RERh2 Laves phases with MgCu2 type. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal Pauli paramagnetism for Y2Rh3Ga and La2Rh3Ga. Ce2Rh3Ga shows intermediate cerium valence while all other RE 2Rh3Ga phases are Curie–Weiss paramagnets which order magnetically at low temperatures. The 89Y and 71Ga solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the diamagnetic representative Y2Rh3Ga show well-defined single resonances in agreement with an ordered bulk phase. In comparison to the binary Laves phase YRh2 a strongly increased 89Y resonance frequency is observed owing to a higher s-electron spin density at the 89Y nuclei as proven by density of states (DOS) calculations.