Anomalous Schottky specific heat and structural distortion in ferromagnetic PrAl2.

Anomalous Schottky specific heat and structural distortion in ferromagnetic PrAl2.

Physical review letters (2013-05-21)

Arjun K Pathak, D Paudyal, Y Mudryk, K A Gschneidner, V K Pecharsky

ABSTRACT

Unique from other rare earth dialuminides, PrAl(2) undergoes a cubic to tetragonal distortion below T = 30 K in a zero magnetic field, but the system recovers its cubic symmetry upon the application of an external magnetic field of 10 kOe via a lifting of the 4f crystal field splitting. The nuclear Schottky specific heat in PrAl(2) is anomalously high compared to that of pure Pr metal. First principles calculations reveal that the 4f crystal field splitting in the tetragonally distorted phase of PrAl(2) underpins the observed unusual low temperature phenomena.

MATERIALS

Product Number

Brand

Product Description

433705

Sigma-Aldrich

Aluminum, evaporation slug, diam. × L 6.3 mm × 6.3 mm, 99.999% trace metals basis

733369

Sigma-Aldrich

Aluminum, foil, thickness 8 μm, 99% trace metals basis

266523

Sigma-Aldrich

Aluminum, ReagentPlus^®, beads, 5-15 mm, 99.9% trace metals basis

266574

Sigma-Aldrich

Aluminum, foil, thickness 0.45-0.55 mm, 99.999% trace metals basis