ESR determination of the crystal field parameters of Nd, Dy, Er, and Yb doped skutterudite CeFe4P12

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Vol. 404; no. 19; pp. 3281 - 3284
• Main Authors: Garcia, F.A., Garcia, D.J., Duque, J.G.S., Pagliuso, P.G., Rettori, C., Schlottmann, P., Torikachvili, M.S., Oseroff, S.B.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.10.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Crystal and ligand fields; Crystal field; Electron paramagnetic resonance and relaxation; Electron spin resonance (ESR); Electron states; Exact sciences and technology; Ground state; Level splitting and interactions; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Physics; Skutterudites; Ground state; Skutterudites; Electron spin resonance (ESR); Crystal field; 76.30.Kg; 76.30.−v; Cerium Iron Phosphides Mixed; Ground states; Doping; Skutterudite; Rare earth additions; Electron paramagnetic resonance; 76.30.-v
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2009.07.097

Despite extensive research on the skutterudites for the last decade, their electric crystalline field ground state is still a matter of controversy. By using electron spin resonance measurements we show that an appropriate description of the ground state can be given for the Th cubic symmetry of the Ce1-xRxFe4P12 (R=Dy, Er, Yb, x≲0.003) skutterudite compounds. From the analysis of the ESR data the three crystal field parameters, B4c, B6c and B6t were determined for each of these rare-earths at the Ce3+ site.