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A type-VII clathrate with a Eu2+ guest embedded into a Ni–P covalent framework, EuNi2P4, was synthesized by a standard two-stage ampoule synthesis and confirmed to crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Fddd with unit cell parameters a = 5.1829(1) A, b = 9.4765(1) A, and c = 18.9900(1) A. A general technique for studying the lattice and magnetic properties of REE containing compounds is proposed. The temperature and field dependences of electrical resistivity ρ(T,H), magnetization M(T,H), magnetic susceptibility χ(T,H), heat capacity Cp(T), and unit cell parameters a(T), b(T), c(T), and volume V(T) were experimentally studied and analyzed at different pressures in the temperature range of 2–300 K. A cascade of anomalies in the studied dependences was identified and attributed to the magnetic phase transformation and peculiar lattice contributions at temperatures below 20 K. As a result of comparison with an isostructural clathrate SrNi2P4, the parameters of the magnetic and lattice contributions were determined. It is characteristic that the phase transition from the paramagnetic to the magnetically ordered state is not reflected in the temperature changes of the lattice parameters due to weak bonds between guest europium atoms and the Ni–P host matrix. We have constructed a tentative H–T phase diagram based on the M(T) and M(H) data, which includes 6 different phases. It is established that the anomalous lattice contribution to the clathrate heat capacity CTLS(T) appears due to the effect of two-level systems (TLS) in the Eu2+ subsystem on the thermodynamic properties of EuNi2P4. The values of TLS parameters as well as the parameters of the magnetic subsystem of the clathrate were determined.

A type-VII clathrate with a Eu2+ guest embedded into a Ni-P covalent framework, EuNi2P4, was synthesized by a standard two-stage ampoule synthesis and confirmed to crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Fddd with unit cell parameters a = 5.1829(1) Å, b = 9.4765(1) Å, and c = 18.9900(1) Å. A general technique for studying the lattice and magnetic properties of REE containing compounds is proposed. The temperature and field dependences of electrical resistivity ρ(T,H), magnetization M(T,H), magnetic susceptibility χ(T,H), heat capacity Cp(T), and unit cell parameters a(T), b(T), c(T), and volume V(T) were experimentally studied and analyzed at different pressures in the temperature range of 2-300 K. A cascade of anomalies in the studied dependences was identified and attributed to the magnetic phase transformation and peculiar lattice contributions at temperatures below 20 K. As a result of comparison with an isostructural clathrate SrNi2P4, the parameters of the magnetic and lattice contributions were determined. It is characteristic that the phase transition from the paramagnetic to the magnetically ordered state is not reflected in the temperature changes of the lattice parameters due to weak bonds between guest europium atoms and the Ni-P host matrix. We have constructed a tentative H-T phase diagram based on the M(T) and M(H) data, which includes 6 different phases. It is established that the anomalous lattice contribution to the clathrate heat capacity CTLS(T) appears due to the effect of two-level systems (TLS) in the Eu2+ subsystem on the thermodynamic properties of EuNi2P4. The values of TLS parameters as well as the parameters of the magnetic subsystem of the clathrate were determined.

We performed an experimental study on thermal properties of the Sn18In6As21.5I8 clathrate by measuring temperature dependencies of its heat capacity (2-300 K) and thermal expansion (5-300 K). By comparing the results with those published previously for Sn-based clathrates Sn24P19.2I8, Sn20Zn4P20.8I8, and Sn17Zn7P22I8, we established that partial replacement of tin and phosphorus by heavier indium and arsenic, respectively, leads to lowering vibration frequencies in both host and guest substructures. Deviation of the observed thermal properties at low temperatures from those predicted by the Einstein-Debye model is caused by the Schottky-like contribution of two-level systems to heat capacity and thermal expansion. These systems form owing to transitions of guest atoms in non-spherical 24-vertex cages between stationary states with close energies.

The temperature dependencies of heat capacity, CP(T), and cubic unit cell parameter, a(T), were experimentally obtained in the range of 2-300 K for the compounds Sn24P19.2I8, Sn20Zn4P20.8I8, and Sn17Zn7P22I8, which belong to a family of type-I clathrates. The experimental data were analyzed in the frames of the Debye-Einstein approximation, further accounting for the contributions of positional disorder in the clathrate frameworks as well as those of defect modes arising from the distribution of guest atoms over unequal in energy but close in space positions inside the framework cages. By fitting the experimental data, the Debye and Einstein characteristic temperatures describing the dynamics of the framework and guest atoms, respectively, were obtained. Their analysis revealed peculiar dependencies of the characteristic temperatures upon the number of substituted zinc atoms and the concentration of vacancies in the framework, which are discussed in this paper.

Temperature changes of the heat capacity and unit cell parameters of Sn24P19.4Br8 clathrate were experimentally determined in the temperature range of 2 to 300 K. The data obtained were analyzed using Debye–Einstein approximation and taking into account the impact of both disorder in the host matrix and the presence of vacancies in the framework. Anomalous negative contribution to the thermal expansion was revealed and related to the defect mode influence on the clathrate thermal properties as a result of vibrations of two-level systems (TLS). The guest atoms that have the opportunity to occupy spatially close yet energetically non-equivalent positions in the asymmetric environment of the host matrix atoms play a principal role in the TLS formation. The results are compared with those previously obtained for semiclathrate Ge31P15Se8.

A homogeneous powder sample of EuCu2P2 was synthesized from the elements by a two-step high-temperature ampule technique. X-ray powder diffraction analysis have shown that the compound belongs to the ThCr2Si2 structure type and features copper deficiency. The study of temperature changes of heat capacity, Cp(T) (2–300 K), and unit cell parameters, a(T) and c(T) and volume Vu(T) (5–300 K), revealed a pronounced anomaly at about TСmах = 44 K evidencing the phase transition to the ferromagnetic state. Detailed analyses of the extracted excess (magnetic) components of EuCu2P2 thermodynamic characteristics, Cm(T) and ΔVm(T), have been performed using the Debye-Einstein and mean field theory approaches. We have found that the anomalous nature of Cm(T) and ΔVm(T) at T

Experimental investigation of heat capacity, CP, unit cell parameter, a, as well as the ESR absorption for a clathrate-like compound Eu7Cu44As23 has been performed in the temperature range of 2–300 K. The CP(T) function exhibits a sharp maximum at the temperature of ferromagnetic ordering, Tc ≈ 17 K, whereas the a(T) shows no anomaly at this temperature. This unusual behavior is governed by the clathrate-like structure of Eu7Cu44As23, where Eu2+ guest cations residing in oversized cavities of the host framework order ferromagnetically imposing no influence on the framework dynamics. The analysis of maximum of the Cp(T) function at 2–20 K allows determining the exchange integral, J, which is a characteristic of the magnetic interaction Eu2+ – Eu2+: J ≈ 0.27 K The analysis of the temperature dependencies of heat capacity, CP(T), and unit cell volume, V(T), in the frames of the Debye-Einstein model enabled determining characteristic temperatures of host and guest subsystems. Along with this, the contribution of two-level systems into thermodynamic properties of Eu7Cu44As23 was evaluated and related to the possibility of guest Eu2+ cations to occupy nonequivalent positions inside the cages of the host framework. The ESR of Eu2+ in Eu7Cu44As23 was studied at 5–300 K. The intensity of the ESR signal shows a sharp drop at low temperatures, which confirms the ferromagnetic character of the magnetic phase transition in Eu7Cu44As23. The experimental ESR spectrum was approximated by two Dyson lines, L1 and L2, which correspond to two g-factors: g1 = 2.081 ± 0,030 and g2 = 2,094 ± 0,016. The increase in L1 linewidth with temperature at 75–275 K is d(ΔH1)/dT = 0.027 G/K. These values of g-factors and d(ΔH1)/dT are derived the exchange integrals of the interaction of the Eu2+ local moment with conduction electrons J1* = 0.241 eV and J1** = 0.252 eV accordingly. For L2 J2* = 0.255 eV. Value J2** ≈ 0.26 eV is valid in 100–130 K interval only. The change of ΔH2(T) slope at higher temperatures may be due to crystal field effect.

Temperature changes of the heat capacity and unit cell parameters of Sn