Tuning the Crystalline Electric Field and Magnetic Anisotropy along the CeCuBi2-xSbx Series

Published

October 20, 2020

Author(s)

G. S. Freitas, M. M. Piva, R. Grossi, C. B. Jesus, J. C. Souza, D. S. Christovam, Jr. Oliveira, Juscelino Leao, C. Adriano, Jeffrey W. Lynn, P. G. Pagliuso

Abstract

We have performed X-ray powder diffraction, magnetization, electrical resistivity, heat capacity and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to investigate the physical properties of the intermetallic series of compounds CeCuBi_2−xSb_x. These compounds crystallize in a tetragonal structure with space group P4/nmm and present antiferromagnetic transition temperatures ranging from 3.6 K to 16 K. Remarkably, the magnetization easy axis changed along the series, which is closely related to the variations of the tetragonal crystalline electric field (CEF) parameters. This evolution was analyzed using a mean field model, which included an anisotropic nearest-neighbor interactions and the tetragonal CEF Hamiltonian. We obtained the CEF parameters by fitting the magnetic susceptibility data with the constraints given by the INS measurements. More broadly, we discuss how this CEF evolution can affect the Kondo physics and the search for a superconducting state in this family.

Citation

Physical Review B

Volume

102

Issue

15

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

Crystal Field Levels, inelastic neutron scattering, Intermetallic CeSuBi2-xSbx, bulk magnetic data, Antiferromagnetic Order, Kondo Screening

Citation

Freitas, G. , Piva, M. , Grossi, R. , Jesus, C. , Souza, J. , Christovam, D. , Oliveira, J. , Leao, J. , Adriano, C. , Lynn, J. and Pagliuso, P. (2020), Tuning the Crystalline Electric Field and Magnetic Anisotropy along the CeCuBi_2-xSb_x Series, Physical Review B (Accessed October 15, 2025)