Crystal structure and physical properties of Gd3Co4Sn13 intermetallic antiferromagnet

Abstract

We have synthesized single crystalline samples of Gd3Co4Sn13 intermetallic compound using a Sn-flux method. This compound crystallizes with a cubic Yb3Co4Sn13-type structure, space group Pm-3n, which has 40 atoms per unit cell. Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, electrical resistivity, and electron spin resonance (ESR) revealed that Gd3Co4Sn13 is a metallic Curie-Weiss paramagnet at high temperature and presents an antiferromagnetic ordering below TN=14.5K. In the paramagnetic state, a single Gd3+ ESR line with a nearly temperature independent g∼2.005(2) is observed, and its linewidth follows a Korringa-like behavior as a function of temperature. From the Korringa rate (ΔH∕ΔT∼4Oe∕K) and g-shift (Δg∼0.012) obtained from the ESR experiments combined with the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat data for Gd3Co4Sn13, we have extracted the exchange parameters between the Gd3+ local moments and the conduction-electrons (c-e) in this compound. This exchange parameter Jfs≈10meV was found to be c-e wave-vector independent and the electronic structure of Gd3Co4Sn13 has a single band character.

Superconductivity in Single Crystals of Lu3T4Ge13–x (T = Co, Rh, Os) and Y3T4Ge13–x (T = Ir, Rh, Os)

“…It should be noted that Y 3 Ir 4 Ge 13 was previously reported to be a semiconductor, but no superconductivity was observed in the polycrystalline samples. 31 Conversely, all other known superconducting 11,13,25,32 and some nonsuperconducting 3−4−13 compounds without Ge 9,33,34 are good metals in the normal state. It appears that the "semiconductor-like" state preceding the superconducting transition is a common feature in the 3− 4−13 germanides only.…”

“…The existence of the superconductivity with semiconductorlike normal state resistivity was reported in several other 3−4− 13 germanides. 5,6,30 Not only was the origin of such behavior not understood, but also it is remarkable that this was only specific to germanide 3−4−13 superconductors, while known superconducting 11,13,25,32 and nonsuperconducting 3−4−13 compounds without Ge 9,33,34 have metallic normal states. We put forth the plausible explanation of crystallographic disorder and large ADP ratios.…”

Pressure effects on the structural and superconducting transitions in La3Co4Sn13

“…In addition, the inset exhibits the rocking curves around the superstructure peak used to calculate the integrated intensities. In order to gain more insight into the physical properties of this structural distortion, the temperature dependent data was fitted by a power-law expression [(T * − T )/T * ] 2β yielding T * = 150.0(1) K and a critical exponent β = 0.36 (1). The critical exponent for our single crystal suggests a three-dimensional character of the structural distortion, in good agreement to what is observed on single crystalline Sr 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 34 .…”

“…There has been a revived interest in the R 3 M 4 X 13 (3-4-13) (R = rare-earth or alkaline-earth element; M = transition metal and X = groups-13,14 element) compounds due to their diverse physical properties, which include antiferromagnetic [1][2][3][4] , superconducting 4,5 , strong electronic correlations 4,6 and semiconducting 5,7 behavior. The crystal structure of this 3-4-13 series, at room temperature, is the cubic Yb 3 Rh 4 Sn 13 type structure (P m 3n space group) 8 .…”

Heavy fermion Ce3Co4Sn13 compound under pressure

“…4 The interplay between crystalline electrical field (CEF) effects and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) magnetic interaction promotes different magnetic ground states. Examples of antiferromagnetic compounds are Gd 3 Co 4 Sn 13 (T N ¼ 14.5 K) 5 and Eu 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 (T N ¼ 10 K), 6,7 which also display a structural transition (T S ) at $55 K. 8 On the other hand, Pr 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 and Nd 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 show no magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K. 6 In addition, some superconductors can be found when 4f magnetism is not present such as in Ca 3 Rh 4 Sn 13 (T c $ 8.2 K), Yb 3 Rh 4 Sn 13 (T c $ 8 K), 1 and Sr 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 (T c ¼ 5 K). 9 The latter material additionally undergoes a superlattice structural transition at around 147 K, which doubles its lattice parameter in respect to the cubic Pm 3n structure.…”