Anomalous magnetism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the ZrNi1-xCrxSn solid solution

The static magnetic properties and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) sp ectra of ZrNi1-xCrxSn solid solution (0<x less than or equal to 0.4) have b een investigated in the temperature range 140-300 K. Materials were prepare d by are-melting of the pure metals. It was found that ferromagnetic orderi ng occurs in the samples with small chromium concentration. EPR spectra of the materials with x=0.05, 0.1, 0.2 consist of three absorption lines. The I and II lines are characterised by g=1.99+/-0.01, Delta H-pp=(120+/-5) G t ype and g=1.980+/-0.001, peak-to-peak width Delta H-pp=(10+/-1) G, respecti vely. They have been attributed to Cr3+ ions in Ni-sites of the lattice cou pled by magnetic dipolar interaction (type I) and to exchange coupled Cr3pairs or clusters of more than two Cr3+ ions (type II). The third line dete cted in the samples with x=0.3, 0.4 characterised by g(eff)=2.0003+/-0.0001 and Delta H-pp=(3.0+/-0.5) G has been interpreted as conduction electron s pin resonance (CESR). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.