Structural and magnetic properties of RET₂Sn₂ compounds (RE=La, Ce, Sm; T=Ni, Cu)

Abstract

The following compounds have been synthesized: LaCu₂Sn₂, CeCu₂Sn₂, SmCu₂Sn₂ and SmNi₂Sn₂. By means of X-ray diffraction their structure was determined to be primitive tetragonal of CaBe₂Ge₂-type (space group P4/nmm) and the lattice parameters were obtained.¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer measurements were performed in a temperature range between 4.2 K and 300 K. The temperature dependence of the Lamb-Mössbauer factor reveals considerable softening of lattice vibration modes below 160 K. Only SmCu₂Sn₂ orders magnetically above 4.2 K.