CeCu₂: a new Kondo lattice showing magnetic order

Abstract

The authors report measurements on the lattice parameter, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, thermoelectric power, susceptibility, magnetisation and specific heat as well as preliminary neutron diffraction results for the orthorhombic compound CeCu2. The Ce valence is close to three and the overall crystal-field splitting seems to be approximately=200K. CeCu2 behaves as a Kondo lattice system with a 'Kondo temperature' in the crystal-field ground state being of the order of 10-20K. Below 3.5K CeCu2 shows magnetic order of an anisotropic antiferromagnetic type.