Discovery of Spin Glass Behavior in Ln(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) (Ln = La-Nd and Sm)

作者：Phelan W Adam; Nguyen Giang V; Wang Jiakui K; McCandless Gregory T; Morosan Emilia; DiTusa John F; Chan Julia Y^*

来源：Inorganic Chemistry, 2012, 51(21): 11412-11421.

DOI：10.1021/ic301030f

Single crystals of Ln(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) (Ln = La-Nd and Sm) were grown from an inert Bi flux. Measurements of the single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that these compounds crystallize in the tetragonal space group I4/mmm with lattice parameters of a approximate to 4 angstrom, c approximate to 26 angstrom, V approximate to 500 angstrom(3), and Z = 2. This crystal structure consists of alternating LnSb(8) square antiprisms and Fe-sublattices composed of nearly equilateral triangles of bonded Fe atoms. These compounds are metallic and display spin glass behavior, which originates from the magnetic interactions within the Fe-sublattice. Specific heat measurements are void of any sharp features that can be interpreted as contributions from phase transitions as is typical for spin glass systems. A large, approximately linear in temperature, contribution to the specific heat of La2Fe4Sb5 is observed at low temperatures that we interpret as having a magnetic origin. Herein, we report the synthesis, structure, and physical properties of Ln(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) (Ln = La-Nd and Sm).

• 出版日期2012-11-5