Magnetic behaviour and electronic structure of the R2PdSi3 (R = Ce, Nd, Tb-Er) compounds

The magnetic properties including the magnetic structure were determined by magnetometric and neutron diffraction measurements of the polycrystalline samples of R2PdSi3 (R = Ce, Nd, Tb-Er). In Ce2PdSi3 the Ce moments order be low 2.5 K. The Nd magnetic moments in Nd2PdSi3 exhibit ferromagnetic orderi ng below 17 K. In Tb2PdSi3, a complex situation is observed: in the tempera ture range from 1.5 K to (T-N = 25 K), there is a coexistence of a ferromag netic spiral (about 75% of the magnetic moment) and a spin-glass (about 25% ). For the Dy, Ho, and Er compounds, below T-N (7.5, 8, and 7 K respectivel y), sinusoidally modulated structures are observed,he valence band and the core level photoemissions of 4d of rare-earth metal, 3d Pd, 2s and 2p Si we re investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements.