Crystal structure and magnetic properties of Pr5Si4−xGex compounds

The magnetic properties of Pr5Si4-xGex (x = 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0) were investigated by magnetic measurements. The compounds Pr5Si4-xGex crystallize in the tetragonal Zr5Si4-type structure for x = 0.0 and 1.0, in the monoclinic Gd5Si2Ge2-type structure for x = 2.0 and 2.5; and in the orthorhombic Sm5Ge4-type structure for x = 3.0-4.0. Unlike the heavy rare earth RE5Si4-xGex (RE = Gd, Tb, Dy) system, the Curie temperature of this system exhibits the following features: the Curie temperature of the compound increases with the increasing of the Ge content in the tetragonal phase region, whereas it shows a weak dependence on the Ge content in the monoclinic phase region and decreases in the orthorhombic phase region. All of the compounds in this system may have a canted magnetic structure. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.