Anisotropic physical properties of PrRhAl$_4$Si$_2$ single crystal a non-magnetic singlet ground state compound

TL;DR

This study reports the growth and characterization of PrRhAl$_4$Si$_2$ single crystals, revealing a non-magnetic singlet ground state with anisotropic properties and significant crystal field splitting.

Contribution

First detailed physical property analysis of PrRhAl$_4$Si$_2$ showing a non-magnetic singlet ground state and crystal field effects in a tetragonal structure.

Findings

No magnetic ordering down to 70 mK

Singlet ground state with a 123 K excited doublet

Overall crystal field splitting of 320 K

Abstract

We have grown the single crystal of PrRhAl$_4$Si$_2$, which crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal structure. From the low temperature physical property measurements like, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, heat capacity and electrical resistivity, we found that this compound does not show any magnetic ordering down to 70~mK. Our crystal field calculations on the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements reveal that the 9-fold degenerate $(2J+1)$ levels of Pr atom in PrRhAl$_4$Si$_2$, splits into 7 levels, with a singlet ground state and a well separated excited doublet state at 123~K, with a overall level splitting energy of 320~K.