title: Discovery of spin glass behavior in Ln2Fe4Sb5 (Ln = La-Nd and Sm).
abstract: Single crystals of Ln(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) (Ln = La-Nd and Sm) were grown from an inert Bi flux. Measurements of the single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that these compounds crystallize in the tetragonal space group I4/mmm with lattice parameters of a ≈ 4 Å, c ≈ 26 Å, V ≈ 500 Å(3), and Z = 2. This crystal structure consists of alternating LnSb(8) square antiprisms and Fe-sublattices composed of nearly equilateral triangles of bonded Fe atoms. These compounds are metallic and display spin glass behavior, which originates from the magnetic interactions within the Fe-sublattice. Specific heat measurements are void of any sharp features that can be interpreted as contributions from phase transitions as is typical for spin glass systems. A large, approximately linear in temperature, contribution to the specific heat of La(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) is observed at low temperatures that we interpret as having a magnetic origin. Herein, we report the synthesis, structure, and physical properties of Ln(2)Fe(4)Sb(5) (Ln = La-Nd and Sm).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
authors.forename: W Adam
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Phelan
authors.forename: Giang V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Jiakui K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gregory T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: McCandless
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morosan
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: DiTusa
authors.forename: Julia Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan