https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2008-00428-x
Magnetic properties of PrCu2 at high pressure
1
Laboratorium für Festkörperphysik, ETH-Zürich, Schafmattstrasse 16, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
2
Faculty of Science, Osaka University, Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560, Japan
Corresponding author: a sacchetti@phys.ethz.ch
Received:
19
August
2008
Revised:
27
October
2008
Published online:
29
November
2008
We report a study of the low-temperature high-pressure phase diagram of the intermetallic compound PrCu2, by means of molecular-field calculations and 63,65Cu nuclear-quadrupole-resonance (NQR) measurements under pressure. The pressure-induced magnetically-ordered phase can be accounted for by considering the influence of the crystal electric field on the 4f electron orbitals of the Pr3+ ions and by introducing a pressure-dependent exchange interaction between the corresponding local magnetic moments. Our experimental data suggest that the order in the induced antiferromagnetic phase is incommensurate. The role of magnetic fluctuations both at high and low pressures is also discussed.
PACS: 75.20.En – Metals and alloys / 71.70.Ej – Spin-orbit coupling, Zeeman and Stark splitting, Jahn-Teller effect / 76.60.Gv – Quadrupole resonance / 62.50.-p – High-pressure effects in solids and liquids
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2008