Ferromagnetism in intermetallic uranium compounds URhX (X = Si, Ge)

ウラン金属間化合物URhX (X = Si, Ge)の強磁性

芳賀 芳範   

Haga, Yoshinori

We report ferromagnetic uranium compounds URhX (X = Si, Ge) with the hexagonal LiPdP-type. Both compounds order ferromagnetically at low temperature. Despite the large difference in the unit cell volume between URhSi and URhGe, magnetic properties are surprisingly similar, indicating a relatively weak chemical pressure effect. Preparation of isostructural thorium compound was successful only for X = Ge. For X = Si, however, LiPdP-type structure seems to be unstable, yielding a structural modulation keeping the very similar local atomic arrangements.