Multiple magnetic phase transitions in Tb(3)Cu(4)Si(4)

J Phys Condens Matter. 2007 Jun 20;19(24):246225. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/19/24/246225. Epub 2007 May 30.

Abstract

A polycrystalline sample of Tb(3)Cu(4)Si(4) was investigated by means of magnetometric, electrical resistivity, thermopower and heat capacity measurements. This paper also includes reanalyses of former neutron diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in a Gd(3)Cu(4)Ge(4)-type orthorhombic structure (Immm space group), in which the Tb ions occupy two inequivalent sites (2d and 4e). The bulk results indicate that these two magnetic sublattices order antiferromagnetically at different temperatures, in agreement with the neutron diffraction data.