Crystal structure and physical properties of Eu0.83Fe4Sb12 - art. no. 224414

Eu0.83Fe4Sb12, was synthesized by are melting in homogeneous practically si ngle phase form. From Rietveld refinement isotypism was derived with the La Fe4P12-( skutterudite)-type, space group Im (3) over bar, No. 204. The refi nement also served to determine the Eu content of x=0.83(2). Eu0.83Fe4Sb12 orders magnetically below 84 K and isothermal magnetization measurements re veal a spontaneous magnetization reaching about 4.5 mu (B)/f.u. at 6 T. The electronic configuration of the Eu ion in this compound appears to be clos e to the 4f(7) state, thus behaving almost divalently. From the measurement s of transport coefficients, the figure of merit Z was evaluated as ZT appr oximate to0.08 at room temperature. The most outstanding property of this c ompound, however, is the significant magnetoresistance of about 130% at T=1 K for a magnetic field of 12 T but still 30% near room temperature.