Suppression of ferromagnetic order by Ag-doping: A neutron scattering investigation on Ce2(Pd1-xAgx)2In (x = 0.20, 0.50)

TL;DR

This neutron scattering study investigates how Ag-doping suppresses ferromagnetic order in Ce2(Pd1-xAgx)2In, revealing a transition from ferromagnetic to frustrated magnetic states with reduced magnetic moments.

Contribution

The paper provides detailed neutron diffraction analysis showing the suppression and alteration of magnetic order due to Ag substitution in Ce2Pd2In.

Findings

Ce2(Pd0.8Ag0.2)2In retains ferromagnetic order with aligned Ce moments.

Ce2(Pd0.5Ag0.5)2In shows extremely reduced magnetic moments and frustrated magnetism.

Ag-doping induces a transition from ferromagnetic to magnetically frustrated states.

Abstract

The ground state magnetic behaviour of Ce2(Pd0.8Ag0.2)2In and Ce2(Pd0.5Ag0.5)2In, found in the ferromagnetic branch of Ce2Pd2In, has been investigated by neutron powder diffraction at low temperature. Ce2(Pd0.8Ag0.2)2In is characterized by a ferromagnetic structure with the Ce moments aligned along the c-axis and values of 0.96(2) mB. The compound retains the P4/mbm throughout the magnetic transition, although the magnetic ordering is accompanied by a significant decrease of the lattice strain along [00l], suggesting a magnetostructural contribution. The magnetic behaviour of Ce2(Pd0.5Ag0.5)2In is very different; this compound exhibits an extremely reduced magnetic scattering contribution in the diffraction pattern, that can be ascribed to a different kind of ferromagnetic ordering, with extremely reduced magnetic moments (~ 0.1 mB) aligned along [0l0]. These results point to a competition between different types of magnetic correlations induced by Ag-substitution, giving rise to a magnetically frustrated scenario in Ce2(Pd0.5Ag0.5)2In.