Ferrimagnetism in EuFe{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} due to the Interplay of f-Electron Moments and a Nearly Ferromagnetic Host

Journal Article · Fri Mar 23 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.98.126403· OSTI ID:20951130

Krishnamurthy, V V; Robertson, J L; Sales, B C; Mandrus, D G; Singh, D J ^[1]; Lang, J C; Haskel, D; Keavney, D J; Srajer, G ^[2]; Bilc, D I ^[1]

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1. Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States)
2. Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

We combine x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy at Fe L{sub 2,3} edges, at Eu M{sub 4,5} edges, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) investigation of Eu valence, and local spin density calculations, to show that the filled skutterudite Eu{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} is a ferrimagnet in which the Fe 3d moment and the Eu{sup 2+} 4f moment are magnetically ordered with dominant antiferromagnetic coupling. From Eu L{sub 3} edge XAS, we find that about 13% of the Eu have a formal valence of 3+. We ascribe the origin of ferrimagnetism at a relatively high transition temperature T{sub C} of 85 K in Eu{sub 0.95}Fe{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} to f-electron interaction with the nearly ferromagnetic [Fe{sub 4}Sb{sub 12}]{sup 2.2-} host lattice.

• OSTI ID: 20951130
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 98; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
ANTIMONIDES
ELECTRONS
EUROPIUM COMPOUNDS
EUROPIUM IONS
FERRIMAGNETISM
IRON COMPOUNDS
MAGNETIC CIRCULAR DICHROISM
SPIN
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
X RADIATION
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY