Magnetic and electrical properties of the intermetallic compounds RE2Au2Sn (Re = Y, Dy - Tm, Lu) and RE2Au2In (RE = Ho, Lu)

The intermetallic compounds RE2Au2Sn (RE = Y, Dy-Tm, Lu) and RE2Au2In (RE = Ho, Lu) were synthesized from the elements via arc-melting and subsequent annealing at 1070 K for 10 days. Depending on the size of the rare earth element, the compounds crystallize with the Mo2B2Fe-type (space group P4/mbm) or the Er2Au2Sn structure (space group P42/mnm), a superstructure of Mo2B2Fe. Temperature dependent susceptibility measurements of Y2Au2Sn, Lu2Au2Sn, and Lu2Au2In indicate Pauli paramagnetism compatible with the metallic behavior deduced from resistivity measurements. Ho2Au2In and RE2Au2Sn (RE = Dy-Tm) show Curie-Weiss behavior above 50 K with experimental magnetic moments close to the free ion values of the trivalent rare earth elements. The compounds Ho2Au2In, Dy2Au2Sn, Ho2Au2Sn, and Er2Au2Sn, undergo magnetic ordering at 20(1) (F), 16(1) (AF), 8(1) (AF), and 4.5(1) K (AF), respectively. Tm2Au2Sn remains paramagnetic down to 2 K. (orig.)