Magnetic behavior of single crystalline Ho$_2$PdSi$_3$

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic properties of single-crystal Ho₂PdSi₃, revealing low anisotropy and long-range magnetic order below 8 K, with implications for understanding f-orbital interactions in similar compounds.

Contribution

It provides detailed magnetic characterization of Ho₂PdSi₃, highlighting its anisotropy and magnetic ordering, and discusses the role of f-ligand hybridization in magnetic behavior.

Findings

Long-range magnetic order below 8 K

Low anisotropy in magnetic susceptibility and resistivity

Implications for f-ligand hybridization effects

Abstract

The magnetic behavior of single-crystal Ho$_2$PdSi$_3$, crystallizing in an AlB$_2$-derived hexagonal structure, is investigated by magnetic susceptibility ($\chi$) and electrical resistivity ($\rho$) measurements along two directions. There is no dramatic anisotropy in the high temperature Curie-Weiss parameter or in the $\rho$ and isothermal magnetization data, though there is a noticeable anisotropy in the magnitude of $\rho$ between two perpendicular orientations. The degree of anisotropy is overall less prominent than in the Gd (which is an S-state ion!) and Tb analogues. A point of emphasis is that this compound undergoes long range magnetic ordering below 8 K as in the case of analogous Gd and Dy compounds. Considering this fact for these compounds with well-localised f-orbital, the spin glass freezing noted for isomorphous U compounds in the recent literature could be attributed to the role of the f-ligand hybridization, rather than just Pd-Si disorder.