title: Neutron powder diffraction determination of the magnetic structure of Gd(3)Ag(4)Sn(4).
abstract: Natural gadolinium is the strongest neutron-absorbing element and neutron diffraction studies of Gd-containing materials rely on the use of either enriched Gd isotopes or short neutron wavelengths where the absorption is weaker but, unfortunately, the neutron flux is also weak. We have employed a new sample-mounting technique to obtain neutron powder diffraction patterns from the intermetallic compound Gd(3)Ag(4)Sn(4) containing natural Gd, at a neutron wavelength of ∼ 2.37 Å where there is much greater flux. Here, we report the magnetic structure of Gd(3)Ag(4)Sn(4). The magnetic ordering temperature is 28.8(2) K. At 2.8 K the Gd(4e) sublattice is antiferromagnetically ordered along the crystal c-axis, commensurate with the crystal lattice. The Gd(2d) sublattice is also ordered along the c-axis but its magnetic structure is incommensurate with the crystal lattice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cadogan
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napoletano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riani
authors.forename: L M D
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cranswick