Electrical and magnetic properties of La0.5Rh4Sb12 filled skutterudite synthesized at high pressure

Abstract

A filled skutterudite, La 0.5 Rh 4 Sb 12 , with a lattice constant of 9.284(2)Å was synthesized using a high-pressure technique. The electrical resistivity showed semiconducting behavior and the energy gap was estimated to be more than 0.08 eV. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated temperatureindependent diamagnetism, which originates from Larmor diamagnetism. The electrical properties of this compound are more similar to those of the La 0.5 Rh 4 As 12 semiconductor with an energy gap of 0.03 eV than to those of the La 0.6 Rh 4 P 12 superconductor.