Pressure evolution of magnetism in URhGa

Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of an ambient and high pressure study of a 5f-electron ferromagnet URhGa. The work is focused on measurements of magnetic and thermodynamic properties of a single crystal sample and on the construction of the p-T phase diagram. Diamond anvil cells were employed to measure the magnetization and electrical resistivity pressures up to ∼ 9 GPa. At ambient pressure, URhGa exhibits collinear ferromagnetic ordering of uranium magnetic moments μU ∼ 1.1 μB (at 2 K) aligned along the c-axis of the hexagonal crystal structure below the Curie temperature TC = 41K. With the application of pressure up to 5GPa the ordering temperature TC initially increases whereas the saturated moment slightly decreases. The rather unexpected evolution is put in the context of the UTX family of compounds.