Stability of the 4f-magnetism in Ce2Pd2In under hydrostatic and uniaxial pressure

ABSTRACT Among a large group of R2T2X intermetallics (R = rare earth, T = transition element, X = p-metal) crystallizing in the Shastry-Sutherland-like tetragonal structure, Ce2Pd2In represents a rare example of Ce-based ferromagnet, reached, however via an antiferromagnetic phase stable at higher temperatures. Here we describe the development of magnetism in Ce2Pd2In under external hydrostatic and uniaxial pressure, monitored by means of electrical resistivity, magnetization, and AC magnetic susceptibility experiments on a high-quality single crystal. The experiments prove a stability of the 4 f magnetism in pressures up to 3 GPa. At these pressures only slightly reduced spontaneous magnetization in the FM state and enhanced electrical resistivity with signs of Kondo lattice behavior are observed. The AFM Neel temperature (TN = 4.65 K) is essentially pressure independent, while the Curie temperature (TC = 4.16 K at ambient pressure) significantly decreases under hydrostatic pressure. The fact that the ferromagnetic phase can be re-entered in weak magnetic fields (0.05 T) proves that the two types of magnetic order are effectively degenerate. Interestingly, TC is not affected by uniaxial pressure applied along the tetragonal c-axis, TN value exhibits only a weak decrease of 0.25 K GPa-1 under such uniaxial pressure. The crystal structure of Ce2Pd2In exhibits a strongly anisotropic thermal expansion with anomalous expansion of the c-parameter with decreasing T. Modest size of magnetostriction effects, observed by dilatometry at ambient pressure, indicates only regular magnetovolume interactions.