Strong magnetic anisotropy in PrRu2Ga8 and PrCo2Al8 single crystals

Abstract

Abstract Single crystals of LnRu2Ga8 and LnCo2Al8 (Ln = La and Pr) were grown using a Ga/Al self-flux method. An orthorhombic CaCo2Al8-type structure with space group Pbam (No.55) of them was identified by x-ray diffraction. LaRu2Ga8 and LaCo2Al8 are Pauli paramagnetic down to 2 K, while PrRu2Ga8 and PrCo2Al8 show antiferromagnetic (AFM) order at 2.5 and 5 K, respectively. Strong magnetic anisotropy in PrRu2Ga8 and PrCo2Al8 single crystals was found by an anisotropic magnetic measurement. The field-induced FM state was observed in both PrRu2Ga8 and PrCo2Al8 for H||c. However, in the case of H⊥c, the AFM state is robust. The strong magnetic anisotropy in PrRu2Ga8 FM and PrCo2Al8 is due to their anisotropic magnetic interactions that FM interactions are dominant in the case of H||c while AFM interactions for H⊥c.