Magnetic properties and electronic structures of intermediate valence systems CeRhSi2 and Ce2Rh3Si5

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic, electronic, and thermodynamic properties of CeRhSi2 and Ce2Rh3Si5, revealing their valence fluctuating nature through experimental spectroscopy and theoretical electronic structure calculations.

Contribution

It provides new experimental evidence and ab initio calculations confirming valence fluctuations in CeRhSi2 and Ce2Rh3Si5, expanding understanding of intermediate valence systems.

Findings

Both compounds are valence fluctuating systems.

Ce LIII-edge x-ray absorption confirms valence fluctuations.

Electronic band structures support experimental observations.

Abstract

The crystal structures and the physical (magnetic, electrical transport and thermodynamic) properties of the ternary compounds CeRhSi2 and Ce2Rh3Si5 (orthorhombic CeNiSi2- and U2Co3Si5-type structures, respectively) were studied in wide ranges of temperature and magnetic field strength. The results revealed that both materials are valence fluctuating systems, in line with previous literature reports. Direct evidence for valence fluctuations was obtained by means of Ce LIII-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy and Ce 3d core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The experimental data were confronted with the results of ab initio calculations of the electronic band structures in both compounds.