Structural properties of Y1-xYbxNi2B2C synthesized at high pressure: EXAFS data analysis

• Published in: Journal of synchrotron radiation Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 910 - 912
• Main Authors: Menushenkov, A. P., Konarev, P. V., Tsvyashchenko, A. V., Meyer-Klaucke, W., Cortes, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 5 Abbey Square, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2HU, England Munksgaard International Publishers 01.03.2001
• Subjects: Data processing; Synchrotron radiation
• ISSN: 1600-5775; 0909-0495; 1600-5775
• DOI: 10.1107/S0909049500016733

Local structure of Y1–xYbxNi2B2C series synthesized at high pressure 8 GPa has been studied using EXAFS. Measurements were performed at the Ni K‐edge in temperature range 5‐300 K. The results show that the Debye‐Waller factor for Ni‐Ni bond in the parent YNi2B2C compound is characterized by the Einstein temperature ΘE = 350 K, while a minimum value of ΘE = 300 K is reached for the compound with x = 0.025, which has the highest critical temperature Tc = 12.5 K of the superconductive transition. This correlates with the further suppressing of superconductivity and with the appearance of the local magnetic moments in the investigated Y1–xYbxNi2B2C series for x≥ 0.05 compounds. Observed changes in the local electronic and the local crystal structure of this system as a function of Yb concentration and of temperaturre were explained in the frame of the band filling effect.