Antiferromagnetic ordering in EuPtGe$_3$ single crystal

Abstract

The magnetic properties of single crystalline EuPtGe$_3$, crystallizing in the non-centrosymmetric BaNiSn$_3$-type crystal structure, have been studied by means of magnetisation, electrical resistivity, heat capacity and $^{151}$Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. The susceptibility and heat capacity data indicate a magnetic transition at $T_{\rm N}$ = 11\,K. The Mössbauer data confirm this conclusion, but evidence a slight first order character of the transition. Analysing the magnetisation data using a mean field model with two antiferromagnetically coupled sublattices allows to explain some aspects of the magnetic behaviour, and to derive the first and second neighbour exchange integrals in EuPtGe$_3$.

6 pages, 7 figures