CRYSTAL FIELDS AND SPIN DYNAMICS OF HEXAGONAL CETSN COMPOUNDS (T=CU, AG AND AU)

We report inelastic neutron scattering and magnetization measurements for hexagonal CeTSn compounds, with T = Cu, Ag and Au. Inelastic neutr on spectra of all three compounds show two well defined crystal-field excitations. The overall crystal-field splitting is largest for CeAuSn . Low-energy neutron scattering studies of CeCuSn and CeAgSn reveal th e presence of a quasielastic line whose width varies with the wavevect or and increases weakly with temperature. Magnetization isotherms for CeCuSn at 1.7 K show several metamagnetic transitions.