Michal Dusek | Searcharxiv

arXiv2022

Crystal structure evolution in the van der Waals transition metal trihalides

Most transition-metal trihalides are dimorphic. The representative chromium-based triad, CrCl3, CrBr3, CrI3, is characterized by the low-temperature phase adopting the trigonal BiI3 type while the structure of the high-temperature phase is monoclinic of AlCl3 type (C2/m). The structural transition between the two crystallographic phases is of the first-order type with large thermal hysteresis in CrCl3 and CrI3. We studied crystal structures and structural phase transitions of vanadium-based counterparts VCl3, VBr3, and VI3 by measuring specific heat, magnetization, and X-ray diffraction as functions of temperature and observed an inverse situation. In these cases, the high-temperature phase has a higher symmetry while the low-temperature structure reveals a lower symmetry. The structural phase transition between them shows no measurable hysteresis in contrast to CrX3. Possible relations of the evolution of the ratio c/a of the unit cell parameters, types of crystal structures, and nature of the structural transitions in V and Cr trihalides are discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Single crystal study of the layered heavy fermion compounds Ce$_2$PdIn$_8$, Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$, Ce$_2$PtIn$_8$ and Ce$_3$PtIn$_{11}$

We report on single crystal growth and crystallographic parameters results of Ce$_2$PdIn$_8$, Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$, Ce$_2$PtIn$_8$ and Ce$_3$PtIn$_{11}$. The Pt-systems Ce$_2$PtIn$_8$ and Ce$_3$PtIn$_{11}$ are synthesized for the first time. All these compounds are member of the Ce$_n$T$_m$In$_{3n+2m}$ (n = 1, 2,..; m = 1, 2,.. and T = transition metal) to which the extensively studied heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$ belongs. Single crystals have been grown by In self-flux method. Differential scanning calorimetry studies were used to derive optimal growth conditions. Evidently, the maximum growth conditions for these materials should not exceed 750 $^{\circ}$C. Single crystal x-ray data show that Ce$_2$TIn$_8$ compounds crystallize in the tetragonal Ho$_2$CoGa$_8$ phase (space group P4/mmm) with lattice parameters a =4.6898(3) $Å$ and c =12.1490(8) $Å$ for the Pt-based one (Pd: a = 4.6881(4) $Å$ and c = 12.2031(8) Å). The Ce$_3$TIn$_{11}$ compounds adopt the Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$ structure with a = 4.6874(4) $Å$ and c = 16.8422(12) $Å$ for the Pt-based one (Pd: a = 4.6896 $Å$ and c = 16.891 Å). Specific heat experiments on Ce$_3$PtIn$_{11}$ and Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$ have revealed that both compounds undergo two successive magnetic transitions at T$_1$ ~ 2.2 K followed by T$_N$ ~ 2.0 K and T$_1$ ~ 1.7 K and T$_N$ ~ 1.5 K, respectively. Additionally, both compounds exhibit enhanced Sommerfeld coefficients yielding γ$_{Pt}$ = 0.300 J/mol K$^2$ Ce (γ$_{Pd}$ = 0.290 J/mol K$^2$ Ce), hence qualifying them as heavy fermion materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗