Anisotropy in magnetic and transport properties of SmTSb3 (T=Cr, V)

Abstract SmCrSb 3 has a highly anisotropic crystal structure (space group Pbcm) which results in a very complex temperature vs. magnetic field phase diagram. We report the first measurements of the anisotropy in magnetic and transport properties, as well as a newly discovered first-order antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition at T N =30 K. SmVSb 3 is presented due to lack of itinerant 3d-electrons. Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements for fields up to 55 kG and in the temperature range of 2–350 K show that at T C =109 K, SmCrSb 3 undergoes an itinerant ferro-magnetic transition due to the 3d Cr ions. Electrical resistivity measurements in the range of 5–295 K show that within the b – c plane, SmCrSb 3 exhibits metallic behavior, while the a -axis has a change in the sign of the slope at the Curie temperature. The first-order AFM transition has also been investigated with the magnetization as a function of field up to 31 T, and by magnetoresistance up to a field of 6 T, showing that the magnetic anisotropy is never completely suppressed in this region.