Anomalous magnetoresistance in antiferromagnetic polycrystalline materials R{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5} (R=rare earth)

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.364666· OSTI ID:496633

Mazumdar, C ^[1]; Nigam, A K; Nagarajan, R; Gupta, L C; Chandra, G ^[2]; Padalia, B D ^[3]; Godart, C ^[4]; Vijayaraghaven, R ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Bombay 400 076 (India)
2. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Bombay 400 005 (India)
3. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Bombay 400076 (India)
4. L.C.M.S.T.R., U.P.R. 209, C.N.R.S., F-92195 Meudon, Cedex (France)

Magnetoresistance (MR) studies on polycrystalline R{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5}, (R=Y, rare earth) which order antiferromagnetically at low temperatures, are reported here. MR of the Nd, Sm, and Tb members of the series exhibit {ital positive giant magnetoresistance}, largest among polycrystalline materials (85{percent}, 75{percent}, and 58{percent} for Tb{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5}, Sm{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5}, and Nd{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5}, respectively, at 4.4 K in a field of 45 kG). These materials have, to the best of our knowledge, the largest positive GMR reported ever for any bulk polycrystalline compounds. The magnitude of MR does not correlate with the rare earth magnetic moments. We believe that the structure of these materials, which can be considered as a naturally occurring multilayer of wavy planes of rare earth atoms separated by Ni{endash}Si network, plays a role. The isothermal MR of other members of this series (R=Pr,Dy,Ho) exhibits a maximum and a minimum, below their respective T{sub N}{close_quote}s. We interpret these in terms of a metamagnetic transition and short-range ferromagnetic correlations. The short-range ferromagnetic correlations seem to be dominant in the temperature region just above T{sub N}. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 496633
• Report Number(s): CONF-961141--
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 81; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ELECTRON CORRELATION
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MAGNETORESISTANCE
NEEL TEMPERATURE
NEODYMIUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLYCRYSTALS
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
SAMARIUM ALLOYS
SILICON ALLOYS
TERBIUM ALLOYS
YTTRIUM ALLOYS