Electrical Resistivity and Specific Heat of EuFe2As2 Single Crystals: Magnetic homologue of SrFe2As2

TL;DR

This study investigates EuFe2As2 single crystals, revealing magnetic phase transitions at 20 K and 195 K, with electronic structure similar to SrFe2As2, and nearly decoupled Eu and Fe sublattices.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental and theoretical analysis of EuFe2As2's magnetic and electronic properties, highlighting its similarity to SrFe2As2 and the decoupled magnetic sublattices.

Findings

Magnetic transitions at 20 K and 195 K confirmed by resistivity and heat capacity.

Electronic structure closely resembles SrFe2As2.

Eu and Fe sublattices are nearly magnetically decoupled.

Abstract

We have grown single crystals of EuFe2As2 and investigated its electrical transport and thermodynamic properties. Electrical resistivity and specific heat measurements clearly establish the intrinsic nature of magnetic phase transitions at 20 K and 195 K. While the high temperature phase transition is associated with the itinerant moment of Fe, the low temperature phase transition is due to magnetic order of localized Eu-moments. Band structure calculations point out a very close similarity of the electronic structure with SrFe2As2. Magnetically, the Eu and Fe2As2 sublattice are nearly de-coupled.