Magnetic properties of the compounds ThCO2Ge2 and ThCo2Si2

Rather old preparation of the compounds ThCo2Ge2 and ThCo2Si2 and their magnetic study in the temperature range 100–570 K, published by Omejec and Ban [Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 380 (1971) 111], indicated that both compounds ordered ferrromagnetically below 100 K. In order to verify the old data, polycrystalline samples of ThCo2Ge2 and ThCo2Si2 have been prepared by arc melting and subsequent annealing, and studied by X-ray diffraction at room temperature (RT), by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-magnetization and AC-susceptibility measurements at 2–320 K, and by dc-magnetization measurements in variable magnetic fields up to 120 kOe at 5, 80, and 283 K. The magnetic measurements confirm the ferromagnetic ordering in both compounds, but with totally different Curie temperatures: ≈120(20) K for ThCo2Ge2 and above 320 K for ThCo2Si2. The paramagnetic values of ThCo2Ge2 and the ordering of both compounds are discussed and compared with the old results of Omejec and Ban.