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 8.45μ_B/Eu. EuIrIn₄ shows pronounced magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the direction of the applied magnetic field.