The crystal structure and magnetic properties of a Zintl phase EuIrIn4: the first member of the Eu–Ir–In family†
Abstract
The indium-rich intermetallic compound EuIrIn4 was synthesized using indium as the active metal flux. The crystal structure of EuIrIn4 was investigated by X-ray powder and single crystal diffraction. EuIrIn4 crystallizes in the YNiAl4 type, Cmcm space group, with lattice parameters, a = 4.5206(9) Å, b = 16.937(3) Å, c = 7.2661(15) Å. Europium atoms in EuIrIn4 are surrounded by three dimensional [IrIn4] polyanionic networks. EuIrIn4 shows two successive antiferromagnetic transitions at 5.4 and 10.8 K. Modified Curie–Weiss fitting on the magnetic susceptibility data within the temperature region 15–300 K gives the effective magnetic moment of 8.45μB/Eu. EuIrIn4 shows pronounced magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the direction of the applied magnetic field.