Magnetic Structures in UCuSn
Abstract
UCuSn crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure (space group: P2_1cn). Bulk investigations indicate two antiferromagnetic transitions at about 25 and 62 K. In addition, high-magnetic-field studies indicates an ordered moment of about 2.0 μ_B/U-atom and a magnetic anisotropy that is only 30 T, which is the lowest reported value among ternary uranium intermetallics. In fact, it is the only uranium compound in which the magnetic anisotropy can be overcome by magnetic fields presently achievable in high-field laboratories. Consequently, an understanding of the magnetic properties of UCuSn is expected to provide valuable information on the hierarchy of magnetic interactions in uranium compounds in general. Here, we report on neutron-diffraction results on UCuSn. The low-temperature magnetic phase exhibits non-collinear arrangement of uranium moments of about 2.0 μ_B/U-atom at 10 K with components in all three principal directions. At 50 K, we find that the moments lie in the orthorhombic b-c plane.
- Publication:
-
APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001APS..MARV16006C