Magnetic properties of Tl9LnTe6, Ln = Ce, Pr, Tb and Sm

• The magnetic behavior of Tl9CeTe6, Tl9PrTe6, Tl9TbTe6, Tl9SmTe6, is presented.
• All samples are paramagnetic at low magnetic fields.
• The Ce representative stands out with different thermoelectric properties and lower unit cell volume.
• Fitting the magnetic susceptibility data reveals the existence of mixed valent cerium.

After introducing the thermoelectric properties of Tl10−xLnxTe6, the magnetic properties of the allegedly formally electron precise (Tl+)9Ln3+(Te2−)6 materials with Ln = Ce, Pr, Sm and Tb were investigated using a SQUID magnetometer. All the compounds were found to be paramagnetic with experimental magnetic moments of 2.07, 3.25 and 9.67 μB for Tl9CeTe6, Tl9PrTe6 and Tl9TbTe6, respectively. The lower magnetic moment for the cerium compound points towards the possibility of the presence of mixed valent Ce in Tl9CeTe6.

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