Magnetic, transport and electronic properties of SmNi4Si compound

The polycrystalline sample of SmNi4Si was investigated by means of powder X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity and specific heat measurements. This compound crystallizes in the hexagonal CaCu5-type structure (space group P6/mmm) and orders magnetically at TC = 14.9 K. The magnetization, electrical resistivity and specific heat data indicate that the electronic ground state of the SmNi4Si has a ferromagnetic-like character. The magnitude of energy gap in the magnon spectrum calculated from electrical resistivity data revealed the presence of high influence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy effect. Our experimental studies were supported by first-principles calculations employing DFT method together with LSDA + U approach. We explore implication of U parameter for magnetization of SmNi4Si. Obtained theoretical result shows that the electronic structure and magnetic properties of SmNi4Si for U = 6 eV is closer to our experimental results.