Neutron spectroscopy of Pr3+ impurity in the intermediate-valence compound CeNi5

Abstract The experimental study of the effect of cerium ions in the intermediate-valence (IV) state on the crystal electric field (CEF) measured on the paramagnetic ion of praseodymium being a part of the compound (Pr)CeNi 5 as a substitution impurity, was performed. The experiments were carried out with the aid of neutron inelastic scattering within the range of sample temperatures of 4.3–50 K. The strong change of the CEF potential in the IV system was found relative to the structural analog without IV-ions. The additional contribution to the CEF seems to be associated with the change in the compound electron subsystem due to IV-ions f-electrons delocalization. It was determined that in forming an additional contribution to the CEF, a significant part was played by correlation effects between IV-ions.