Single crystal growths and magnetic properties of hexagonal polar semimetals RAuGe (R = Y, Gd-Tm, and Lu)

Abstract

We study structural and magnetic properties of rare-earth based semimetals RAuGe (R = Y, Gd−Tm, and Lu) using flux-grown single crystals. These compounds belong to the noncentrosymmetric polar space group P 63mc. We confirm the systematic structural evolution at room temperature as a function of ionic radius of rare earths to clarify the isopointal crossover between two polar structures: three-dimensional LiGaGe-type and quasi-two-dimensional NdPtSb-type. Magnetism shows a characteristic anisotropy in reasonable agreement with the crystal electric field (CEF) theory; the easy-plane-type anisotropy for R = Tb and Dy turns into the Ising-type anisotropy for R = Er and Tm. We evaluate the CEF parameters based on the Stevens operators to reasonably reproduce the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibilities and specific heat for RAuGe (R = Tb−Tm). The estimated energy scale of the Ising gap (∼ 11 meV) in TmAuGe is consistent with an excitation observed in an inelastic neutron scattering experiment. These findings suggest an opportunity for interplay between conduction electrons and nontrivial spin structures in the family of magnetic polar semimetals RAuGe.