High-pressure synthesis of ferromagnetic Mn₃Ge with the Cu₃Au-type structure

Abstract

A new intermetallic compound, Mn3Ge, has been synthesized by direct reaction of elemental components at 6.2 GPa and 1000°C for 30 min using a belt-type high-pressure apparatus. The compound crystallizes into a cubic structure with the space group Pm3m, namely the L12-type (Cu3Au-type) structure. The structure was refined by Rietveld analysis of the powder x-ray diffraction data and the lattice constant was determined as a = 0.380 19(3) nm. The compound shows metallic conductivity and ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 400 K.