Magnetic Behavior of Novel Intermetallics CePt₃X

Abstract

A series of isostructural CePt₃X intermetallics (X=Si, Al, Ge) has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and microprobe analysis. All three compounds crystallize in a non-centrosymmetric CePt₃B type structure with a space group P 4mm. CePt₃Si is a heavy-fermion superconductor with antiferromagnetic (AF) ordering. The other two compounds also exhibit magnetic ordering at low temperatures, however, superconductivity is missing down to 0.4 K. A strong influence of heat treatment on structural disorder yielding a dramatic change of low temperature magnetic behavior has been observed for both novel compounds, respectively. Results of a systematic study of specific heat, electrical resistivity and magnetization are discussed from the view of technological and structural aspects.