Abstract
We have investigated the magnetic properties of by means of magnetic susceptibility , specific heat and electrical resistivity measurements performed on flux-grown single crystals. The Curie-Weiss behavior of along the easy plane, the large magnetic entropy at low temperatures and the weak Kondo-like increase in proves a stable trivalent Yb state. Anomalies in , , and at , , and evidence complex ordering phenomena. The magnetic entropy just above amounts to almost , indicating that the crystal-electric-field (CEF) ground state is a quasiquartet instead of the expected doublet. The behavior at is rather unusual and suggests that this transition is related to quadrupolar ordering, being a consequence of the CEF quasiquartet ground state. The combination of a quasiquartet CEF ground state, a high ordering temperature, and the relevance of quadrupolar interactions makes a rather unique system among Yb-based compounds.
- Received 9 December 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.020407
©2006 American Physical Society