Investigating the A n+1B n X3 n+1 Homologous Series: A New Platform for Studying Magnetic Praseodymium Based Intermetallics

ACS Omega. 2022 Jun 3;7(23):19048-19057. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02152. eCollection 2022 Jun 14.

Abstract

The recent discovery of the A n+1B n X3n+1 (A = lanthanide, B = transition metal, X = tetrel) homologous series provides a new platform to study the structure-property relationships of highly correlated electron systems. Several members of Ce n+1Co n Ge3n+1 (n = 1, 4, 5, 6, and ∞) show evidence of heavy electron behavior with complex magnetic interactions. While the Ce analogues have been investigated, only n = 1, 2, and ∞ of Pr n+1Co n Ge3n+1 have been synthesized, with n = 1 and 2 showing a nonsinglet magnetic ground state. The Pr analogues can provide a platform for direct comparison of highly correlated behavior. In this perspective, we discuss the impetus for synthesizing the Pr n+1Co n Ge3n+1 members and present the structural characterization of the n = 3 and n = 4 members. We lay the foundation for future investigations of the Pr n+1Co n Ge3n+1 family of compounds and highlight the importance of complementary methods to characterize new quantum materials.

Publication types

  • Review