MAGNETIC-BEHAVIOR OF THE RARE-EARTH MOLYBDENUM SILICIDES RE(2)MO(3)SI(4) WITH THE U2MO3SI4 STRUCTURE TYPE

Ternary rare earth molybdenum silicides RE(2)Mo(3)Si(4) have been synt hesized by the are melting technique for RE = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm a nd Y. From X-ray powder diffraction analysis, all the compounds were f ound to crystallize in the U2Mo3Si4 structure type (space group: P2(1) /c). Magnetic susceptibilities were generally measured in the temperat ure range from 2 to 300 K. Y2Mo3Si4 is a temperature-independent param agnet. Except for Er2Mo3Si4 and Tm2Mo3Si4, the studied compounds show antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperature. Tb2Mo3Si4 is the only o ne which shows two antiferromagnetic transitions (19 and 2.3 K). Moreo ver Gd2Mo3Si4, Tb2Mo3Si4 and Dy2Mo3Si4 exhibit metamagnetic type behav iour.