Magnetic Properties of Intermetallic Compound Mn₁₁Ge₈

Abstract

Magnetic properties of an orthorhombic intermetallic compound Mn 11 Ge 8 , which was formerly referred to as Mn 3 Ge 2 , has been investigated on a single crystal specimen at temperatures between 80 K and 800 K. The compound has features of a non-collinear antiferromagnet below T t = 150 K, and makes a spin-flopping transition when magnetized along the c axis. It becomes ferromagnetic with a first order transition at T t with the direction of easy magnetization lying along b axis up to its Curie temperature 274 K. The susceptibility follows the Curie-Weiss law above 550 K, with asymptotic Curie temperature 329 K and effective Bohr magneton number per Mn P eff = 3.26.