Magnetic and transport properties of PrTGe 3 (T = Ni, Rh)

Two new ternary intermetallic compounds PrNiGe3 and PrRhGe3 were synthesized and investigated. PrNiGe3 exhibits two magnetic transitions below 21 K and a field induced metamagnetic transition at 1.6 T (5 K). On the other hand PrRhGe3 remains paramagnetic down to 2 K. We attribute the absence of magnetic order in PrRhGe3 to be due to a large crystal field splitting between the nonmagnetic singlet ground state and first excited state confirmed by the temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and specific heat data.