Thermal and magnetic properties of DyB62 at low temperatures

Temperature dependences of heat capacity CP(T) and magnetization M(T) of an icosahedral dysprosium boride (DyB62) single crystal have been experimentally investigated in the temperature range of 2-300 K. The magnetic susceptibility χ(T) of DyB62 follows Curie-Weiss law with a paramagnetic Curie temperature of −3.7 K, which implies that the antiferromagnetic interactions are dominant in this material and suggests the possibility of magnetic ordering at low temperatures. This conjecture is supported by the temperature dependence of heat capacity CP(T), which decreases upon heating from 2 to 7 K. The heat capacity of DyB62 at 2 K is analyzed as a sum of magnetic, Debye, two-level system and soft atomic potential components.