PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES AND GIANT MAGNETORESISTANCE IN RNISB COMPOUNDS

The physical properties of RNiSb (R=rare earth) have been investigated by magnetization, resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements. The light rare earth compounds are metallic, while those with Tb, Dy, Ho, are semiconductors with a giant negative magnetoresistance. With the exception of the Pauli-paramagnets LaNiSb and YNiSb, all those compoun ds have a Curie-Weiss magnetism. CeNiSb and NdNiSb are ferromagnetic p robably with an additional modulated component for Ce, the heavy rare earths TbNiSb, DyNiSb and HoNiSb compounds order antiferromagnetically at low temperatures. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.