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Title: Critical evaluation of Eu valences from L sub III -edge x-ray-absorption and Moessbauer spectroscopy of EuNi sub 2 Si sub 2 minus x Ge sub x

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA)
; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Institut fuer Experimentalphysik, Freie Universitaet Berlin, D-1000 Berlin 33, Germany (DE)
  2. Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, (Israel)

In the quasiternary EuNi{sub 2}Si{sub 2{minus}{ital x}}Ge{sub {ital x}} system most of the Eu ions exhibit an intermediate-valence character, depending on the number of Si neighbors and the temperature. A detailed study of EuNi{sub 2}Si{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 1.5} by Eu {ital L}{sub III} x-ray-absorption and {sup 151}Eu Moessbauer spectroscopy reveals a sharp temperature-induced valence change, which is more complete than in any other Eu system. A linear correlation between the mean Eu valence, {ital v}({ital L}{sub III}), derived from {ital L}{sub III}-edge measurements, and the mean Moessbauer isomer shift is only observed if a variation of the recoil-free fraction at the different Eu sites is taken into account. The Eu {ital L}{sub III} spectra of EuNi{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}, in which the Eu is divalent according to Moessbauer and magnetization measurements, result in {ital v}({ital L}{sub III})=2.15, which is similar to other divalent intermetallic Eu systems. This observation is attributed to final-state effects due to covalency. The magnetic susceptibility of EuNi{sub 2}Si{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 1.5} is in accord with the intermediate-valence character of this compound, which orders ferromagnetically at 25 K.

OSTI ID:
5693103
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA), Vol. 43:7; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English