Complex Magnetic Behaviour of Ho3Cu4X4 Compounds (X = Si and Sn)

Ł. Gondek a, A. Szytuła b and O. Prokhnenko c a Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland b M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Kraków, Poland c BENSC Hahn-Meitner Institute, Glienicker Str. 100, 14-109 Berlin-Wannsee, Germany

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Received: 3 06 2007;

Ternary Ho3Cu4X4 compounds exhibit very complex magnetic phase diagrams. The rare earth ions occupy two non-equivalent crystal positions. Within both magnetic sublattices, magnetic moments exhibit different magnetic ordering temperatures. Moreover, in light of our results, it seems that both sublattices are weakly coupled between each other. This may be observed as independent changes of propagation vectors etc. The major difference of ordering temperatures between both compounds is likely related to substantial change of interatomic distances. Consequently, completely different crystalline electric field effects are observed.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.113.1179 PACS numbers: 75.25.+z, 75.50.Ee, 75.40.Cx