Magnetic behavior of single-crystal Ho₂PdSi₃

Abstract

The magnetic behavior of single-crystal Ho₂PdSi₃, crystallizing in an AlB₂-derived hexagonal structure, is investigated by magnetic susceptibility (χ) and electrical resistivity (ρ) measurements along two directions. There is no dramatic anisotropy in the high-temperature Curie-Weiss parameter or in the ρ and isothermal magnetization data, though there is a noticeable anisotropy in the magnitude of ρ between two perpendicular orientations. The degree of anisotropy is overall less prominent than in the Gd (which is an S-state ion) and Tb analogs. A point of emphasis is that this compound undergoes long-range magnetic ordering below 8 K as in the case of analogous Gd and Dy compounds. Considering this fact for these compounds with a well-localized f orbital, the spin-glass freezing noted for isomorphous U compounds in the recent literature could be attributed to the role of the f-ligand hybridization, rather than just Pd-Si disorder.