A neutron scattering study of rare-earth intermetallic compound La3Co29Si4B10

A quaternary rare-earth intermetallic compound La3Co29Si4B10 has been synthesized and the crystal and magnetic structures are investigated by neutron diffraction over the temperature range of 7–300K. Rietveld refinements of the neutron diffraction patterns demonstrate that La3Co29Si4B10 is tetragonal and isostructural with Nd3Ni29Si4B10. The magnetic scattering indicates that the moments of the Co sublattice are collinear and lie in the basal plane. The mean magnetic moment for the Co atoms is μ∼0.5μB, or 13.6μB∕f.u., in agreement with the magnetization measurements.