Magnetic and electric quadrupolar anomalies in PrCu₂Si₂

Abstract

There is an abnormal enhancement of the Neel temperature (T_N approximately=21 K) and spin-disorder resistivity beyond that expected on the basis of de Gennes scaling in PrCu₂Si₂. While the electric quadrupole alignment is known to be the driving force for the moderate breakdown of this scaling in homologous heavy rare-earth members, such a mechanism is not applicable to PrCu₂Si₂. Contrary to the behaviour in heavy rare earths, there is no distinct anomaly in the temperature-dependent lattice constants in this compound as if the electric quadrupole moment of Pr is quenched. Thus, this compound is shown to exhibit novel magnetic and quadrupolar behaviour.