Resistivity and magnetic-susceptibility studies in the R₃Ru₄Ge₁₃ (R=Nd, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Lu, and Y) system

Abstract

In this paper we report the susceptibility and resistivity studies of cubic R₃Ru₄Ge₁₃ (R=Nd-Y) from 1.5 to 300 K. We find that the compounds (R=Nd-Yb) show paramagnetic behavior above 1.5 K whereas Lu₃Ru₄Ge₁₃ and Y₃Ru₄Ge₁₃ exhibit diamagnetism and Pauli paramagnetism above 4.2 K, respectively. They also undergo a superconducting transition at 2.3 K and 1.8 K, respectively. The resistivity of all the samples except that of Yb₃Ru₄Ge₁₃ increases with the decrease of temperature from 300 K down to 1.5 K. The most interesting aspect is the positive temperature coefficient of resistivity of the Yb sample in the same temperature range. The results are compared with the RBiPt system where one has observed similar results.