Low Temperature Heat Capacity of Nd2Zr2O7 Pyrochlore.

Abstract Heat capacity of neodymium zirconate (Nd 2 Zr 2 O 7 ) with pyrochlore structure was measured by adiabatic calorimetry and the hybrid adiabatic relaxation method in the temperature range (0.45 to 400) K. Its excess component was obtained by comparison with the heat capacity of the lanthanum zirconate. A thermal anomaly was observed below T =7.2 K. From the heat capacity measurements, the thermodynamic functions of Nd 2 Zr 2 O 7 were determined.