Crystal structure, magnetic and electrical properties of new ternary indides RPtIn (R=Pr, Sm)

Two new ternary compounds PrPtIn and SmPtIn were synthesized and characteri zed by means of X-ray diffraction, magnetic and electrical measurements. Th e crystal structure of SmPtIn was refined from single-crystal X-ray data, d own to R-1 =0.0406 for 297 F-2 values and 15 variables. The structure of Pr PtIn was established from powder diffractometer data. Both compounds crysta llize with a hexagonal structure of the ZrNiAl-type (space group P (6) over bar 2m) with the lattice parameters: a=7.6522(3) Angstrom, c=4.0455(1) Ang strom for PrPtIn, and a=7.5895(6) Angstrom, c=3.9540(1) Angstrom for SmPtIn . The Pr-based compound is paramagnetic down to 1.7 K, whereas SmPtIn order s ferromagnetically below 25 K. Both phases exhibit metallic character of t he electrical conductivity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.