Magnetic and Physical Properties of Nd$_{2}$Ni$_{2}$Pb and NdNiPb

ORAL

Abstract

We report magnetic, transport and thermodynamic measurements for Nd$_{2}$Ni$_{2}$Pb and NdNiPb, which are members of recently-discovered $R$-Ni-Pb families of intermetallics. In Nd$_{2}$Ni$_{2}$Pb a $\lambda$ type specific heat jump was observed at 19 K corresponding to an antiferromagnetic transition. Magnetization measurements show this phase to have a canted structure, with a metamagnetic transition to an aligned phase in $H$ = 3 T at low temperatures. We have further explored the metamagnetic transition using field dependent specific heat. The single antiferromagnetic phase stands in contrast to the more complex magnetic structures observed in the heavy-rare-earth members of this family. At high temperatures the magnetization obeys a Curie law and the estimated magnetic moment agrees with the free ion moment of Nd. Resistivity measurements were conducted in the presence of an applied magnetic field and a kink was observed at 19 K. We performed similar measurements on NdNiPb and observed an antiferromagnetic transition at 5 K. A high temperature Curie fit showed that Ni is non-magnetic, while resistivity measurements show a kink at the transition temperature. This work was supported by the Robert A. Welch Foundation (grant A-1526), the National Science Foundation (DMR-0103455), and by the Texas A\&M University Telecommunications and Informatics Task Force.

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Authors

  • V. Goruganti

  • Yang Li

  • Joseph H. Ross, Jr.

  • K. D. D. Rathnayaka

    Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University

  • Nilanjan Das

    Dept. of Physics, ESFM-IPN, Mexico City, Dept. of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas A\&M University, Southeast Missouri State University, Departamento de Fisica, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Nunez, Argentina, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A\&M University, University of Houston, Denison U., Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory, AdAstra Rocket Company, Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State Unv. - San Marcos, Department of Physics, Texas State Unv. - San Marcos, Rice U., Texas State University - San Marcos, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Gloucester, MA, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, National Insitute of Standards \& Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Texas Center for Superconductivity and Advanced Materials, University of Houston, Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston, University of Houston, University of Idaho, Department of Physics, Istanbul Technical University, University of California at Davis, Physics Department, University of South Florida, FL 33620, Physics Department, Texas A\&M University, TX 77843, Center for Studies in Statistical Mechanics and Complex Systems, The University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, TcSUH, University of Houston, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston