Magnetic properties of R2NiGe6 ternary compounds (RÂ =Â rare earth)

The ternary R2NiGe6 germanides (R = Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) with Ce2CuGe6 structure (space group Cm2m, Pearson symbol oS18) were prepared by arc melting. The magnetic properties were measured in fields up to 10 T in the temperature range 2-300 K. Except for R = Y and Ce, these ternary compounds order antiferromagnetically at low temperatures (Néel's temperature TN) and exhibit metamagnetic behaviors. The experimental critical field of the low temperature metamagnetic process was found fairly related to the values of TN and θp.