EVIDENCE OF A MAGNETIC-MOMENT ON THE TRANSITION-METAL SUBLATTICE IN RFE2-XCRXSI2 COMPOUNDS (R=Y, LA, ND, TB - ESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-X-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-1.75)

The crystallographic data and magnetic properties of the RFe2-xCrxSi2 compounds (R=Y, La, Nd, Tb; 0.25 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1.75) are reported. The diamagnetic R compounds exhibit Curie -Weiss behaviour with rather large values of the effective moments (mu (eff)approximate to 2.5-3.0 mu(B) per formula unit). The chromium-rich compounds are characterized by Neel temperatures ranging from T(N)app roximate to 100 K to T-N=700 K. The iron-rich paramagnetic R compounds display ferromagnetic ordering at low temperature (T(C)approximate to 14 to 31 K). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights. reserved.