Investigation of thermodynamic properties and magnetic ordering in TmNiIn

The magnetic, electrical resistivity, specific heat and powder neutron diffraction measurements were performed on a polycrystalline sample of TmNiIn. The compound crystallizes in a hexagonal structure of the ZrNiAl-type. It orders antiferromagnetically below TN = 2.5 K. The magnetic structure is an incommensurate one and may be described by the propagation vector k→=[kx,kx,1/2 ], where kx=0.281(2). The magnetic moments are confined within the basal hexagonal plane. The results are compared with those reported for isostructural thulium compounds like TmAgSi, TmAgGe and TmPtIn. - Research Highlights: →The Neel temperature of TmNiIn was determined for the first time. →The incommensurate antiferromagnetic structure of TmNiIn was determined. →Experimental results suggest limited size of magnetic domains (clusters).