Magnetic properties and evidence of a new spin-glass transition induced by Mn-doping in Tb2NiSi3

Abstract It is extremely rare for the coexistence of two spin glass transitions in single phase materials. In the present paper, the structure and magnetic properties of Tb2Ni0.8Mn0.2Si3 were investigated. For comparison, the corresponding experimental results of Tb2NiSi3 compound were also provided. In the temperature dependence of dc susceptibility measurements, there are two anomaly transitions for both Tb2Ni0.8Mn0.2Si3 and Tb2NiSi3. Further studies on the frequency dependence of ac susceptibility show a new spin-glass transition at 14 K in Tb2Ni0.8Mn0.2Si3, except for the spin-glass transition at 8 K inheriting from Tb2NiSi3. This new spin-glass transition in Tb2Ni0.8Mn0.2Si3 is absent in Tb2NiSi3. It takes place below the long-range magnetic ordered phase transition and shows cluster spin glass behaviors, and it is attributed to the introduction of Mn ions into the intermetallic compound.