Irreversible Magnetization Process of a PrCu2Ge2 Single Crystal

Measurements of magnetization and magnetic susceptibility have been carried out on a tetragonal ternary PrCu2Ge2 single crystal compound. It orders antiferromagnetically below TN =14.4 K which is an anomalously high transition temperature. The magnetic behavior in the virgin state is different from one in the state after magnetization saturation process along the c-axis in low temperatures. The susceptibility of the virgin state is enhanced below 3.5 K while one after saturation becomes very small. An irreversible magnetization process appears in the virgin state while it becomes reversible after saturation, which has been never seen yet. (author)