High-Field Magnetic Phase Transitions in CeP

The high-field magnetization of low carrier semimetallic CeP is investigated in the temperature region from 1.3 K to 77 K and applied fields in the {100} and {110} planes up to 64 Tesla (T). A ferrimagnetic state in the low field region changes to an antiferromagnetic state by the application of the field below 10 T. Above 20 T, multi-step magnetizations of the Ce moment related with the Landau level crossing of the conduction electron are observed. The critical fields are almost temperature independent below 35 K. This phenomenon is explained by the Stoner-Landau model that the spin population change in the low concentration conduction electron system at the crossing field induces magnetic phase changes in the Ce spin system. Each critical field is angular dependent.