Magnetic structures of rare earth intermetallic compounds RCuAs$_2$ (R = Pr, Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Yb)

Abstract

Neutron scattering studies have been carried out on polycrystalline samples of a series of rare earth intermetallic compounds RCuAs$_2$ (R = Pr, Nd, Dy, Tb, Ho and Yb) as a function of temperature to determine the magnetic structures and the order parameters. These compounds crystallize in the ZrCuSi$_2$ type structure, which is similar to that of the RFeAsO (space group P4/nmm) class of iron-based superconductors. PrCuAs$_2$ develops commensurate magnetic order with K = (0, 0, 0.5) below T$_N$ = 6.4 (2) K, with the ordered moments pointing along the c-axis. The irreducible representation analysis shows either a ${\Gamma}$$^1_2$ or ${\Gamma}$$^1_3$ representation. NdCuAs$_2$ and DyCuAs$_2$ order below T$_N$ = 3.54(5) K and T$_N$ = 10.1(2) K, respectively, with the same ordering wave vector but the moments lying in the a-b plane (with a ${\Gamma}$$^2_9$ or ${\Gamma}$$^2_{10}$ representation). TbCuAs$_2$ and HoCuAs$_2$ exhibit incommensurate magnetic structures below T$_N$ = 9.44(7) and 4.41(2) K, respectively. For TbCuAs$_2$, two separate magnetic ordering wave vectors are established as K$_{1(Tb)}$ = (0.240,0.155,0.48) and K$_{2(Tb)}$ = (0.205, 0.115, 0.28), whereas HoCuAs$_2$ forms a single K$_{(Ho)}$ = (0.121, 0.041, 0.376) magnetic structure with 3$^{rd}$ order harmonic magnetic peaks. YbCuAs$_2$ does not exhibit any magnetic Bragg peaks at 1.5 K, while susceptibility measurements indicate an antiferromagnetic-like transition at 4 K, suggesting that either the ordering is not long range in nature or the ordered moment is below the sensitivity limit of $\approx$ 0.2 $\mu_B$.