Electron spin resonance of the itinerant ferromagnets LaCrGe3, CeCrGe3and PrCrGe3

Abstract

We report electron spin resonance of the itinerant ferromagnets LaCrGe3, CeCrGe3, and PrCrGe3. These compounds show well defined and very similar spectra of itinerant Cr 3d spins in the paramagnetic temperature region. Upon cooling and crossing the Cr-ferromagnetic ordering (below around 90 K) strong spectral structures start to dominate the resonance spectra in a quite different manner in the three compounds. In the Ce- and Pr-compounds the resonance is only visible in the paramagnetic region whereas in the La-compound the resonance can be followed far below the ferromagnetic ordering temperature. This behavior will be discussed in terms of the specific interplay between the 4f and 3d magnetism which appears quite remarkable since CeCrGe3 displays heavy fermion behavior even in the magnetically ordered state.