Metamagnetism and crystal-field splitting in pseudohexagonal CeRh3Si2

Journal article

CeRh 3 Si 2 has been reported to exhibit metamagnetic transitions below 5 K, a giant crystal field splitting, and anisotropic magnetic properties from single crystal magnetization and heat capacity measurements. Here we report results of neutron and x-ray scattering studies of the magnetic structure and crystal-field excitations to further understand the magnetism of this compound. Inelastic neutron scattering and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering reveal a J z = 1 / 2 ground state for Ce when considering the crystallographic a direction as quantization axis, thus explaining the anisotropy of the static susceptibility. Furthermore, we find a total splitting of 78 meV for the J = 5 / 2 multiplet. The neutron diffraction study in zero field reveals that, on cooling from the paramagnetic state, the system first orders at T N 1 = 4.7 K in a longitudinal spin density wave with ordered Ce moments along the b axis (i.e., the [0 1 0] crystal direction) and an incommensurate propagation vector k = ( 0 , 0.43 , 0 ). Below the lower-temperature transition T N 2 = 4.48 K , the propagation vector locks to the commensurate value k = ( 0 , 0.5 , 0 ) , with a so-called lock-in transition. Our neutron diffraction study in applied magnetic field H ∥ b axis shows a change in the commensurate propagation vector and development of a ferromagnetic component at H = 3 kOe , followed by a series of transitions before the fully field-induced ferromagnetic phase is reached at H = 7 kOe . This explains the nature of the steps previously reported in field-dependent magnetization measurements. A very similar behavior is also observed for the H ∥ [0 1 1] crystal direction.

Authors: Amorese, A; Khalyavin, D; Kummer, K; Brookes, NB; Ritter, C

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Journal: Physical Review B
• Volume: 105
• Issue: 12
• Article number: 125119
• Publication date: 2022-03-15
• Acceptance date: 2022-02-23
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevb.105.125119
• EISSN: 2469-9969
• ISSN: 2469-9950
• Language: English
• Keywords: FFR