Ac susceptibility studies of the spin freezing behavior in U2 Cu Si3

Abstract

Ternary uranium compound U2 Cu Si3 have been prepare and confirmed to crystallize in the tetragonal α-Th Si2 -type structure after annealed at 800 °C for 240 h. ac susceptibility measurements reveal a evident spin glass transition for this compound at a static spin freezing temperature TS =18.3 K. Several important parameters characteristic of the spin freezing state are determined from the dynamical analyses of the ac susceptibility data. The formation of spin glass state in this sample is further proved by specific heat, electrical resistivity, and magnetic relaxation measurements. The presence of frustrated magnetic interactions in U2 Cu Si3 is discussed in a "magnetic cluster model." © 2008 American Institute of Physics.