Metamagnetism in CePd5Ge3

Metamagnetic transitions in CePd5Ge3 were investigated by means of low-temperature magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and magnetoresistivity measurements. In transverse magnetic fields applied in a direction close to the b-axis the antiferromagnetic structure of the compound undergoes two successive transitions, first to a spin-flop phase and then to a paramagnetic phase with field-induced ferromagnetic-like alignment of the Ce magnetic moments. In contrast, a single anomaly occurs in the magnetic field dependences of the resistivity in a transverse magnetic field applied close to the c-axis, which reflects a direct transition from antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic state. Such behavior is in agreement with theoretical descriptions of metamagnetic transitions in uniaxial antiferromagnets. The experimental magnetic and electrical transport data indicate that the b-axis is the easy axis of magnetization in CePd5Ge3. (paper)