Local magnetism and Kondo behaviour of Ce in U-substituted CePd3

We report bulk and local magnetic studies in single-phase cubic (AuCu3-type) Ce1-xUxPd3 intermetallic alloys for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. Bulk magnetization data for all compositions exhibit paramagnetic behaviour that shows enhanced effective magnetic moment μeff and progressive reduction of θP with U content. The data - combined with the local susceptibility (χloc) of 140Ce, measured by time-differential perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy - reveal a smooth cross-over from intermediate valence to nearly trivalent local moment behaviour with a sharp diminution of Kondo temperature TK with x. We believe that 5f-band electrons of U strongly influence the magnetism and Kondo behaviour of Ce ions in these alloys