Magnetic properties and structural characterization of Sr2RuHoO6 complex perovskite

We report an experimental study of the crystallographic lattice, morphologic characteristics and magnetic feature of Sr2RuHoO6 complex perovskite, which is used as a precursor in the fabrication process of the superconducting ruthenocuprate RuSr2HoCu2O8. The samples were produced through the standard solid state reaction. A Rietveld refinement of experimental X-ray diffraction patterns shows that the material crystallizes in a monoclinic structure, which belongs to the P21/n (#14) space group, with lattice parameters a=5.7719(6) Å, b=5.8784(5) Å, c=8.1651(9) Å, and tilt angle β=90.200°. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the occurrence of an antiferromagnetic ordering for a Néel temperature TN=10.1 K. From the Curie-Weiss fitting of the paramagnetic regime we obtain an effective magnetic moment of 11.31 μB.