Eur. Phys. J. B 74, 9-18 (2010)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2010-00050-5

Antiferromagnetic ordering and metamagnetism in PrCuSi

Evidence for a tricritical point

Physics Department, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa

Corresponding author: amstrydom@uj.ac.za

Received: 17 September 2009
Revised: 15 December 2009
Published online: 9 February 2010

Abstract

A variety of physical properties measured on the hexagonal rare-earth intermetallic compound PrCuSi are presented. We provide compelling evidence for antiferromagnetic ordering at T_N = 5.1 K in this compound, in contrast to the former claim of ferromagnetic ordering at 14 K. The antiferromagnetic order is, however, found to be unstable in applied magnetic fields, becoming ferromagnetic beyond a metamagnetic transition at a field of 0.7 T at 2 K. It is argued that the magnetism in PrCuSi has the ingredients of a tricritical phase transition at the intersection of paramagnetism, ferromagnetism, and antiferromagnetism.