Magnetic characteristics of some RNiSn ( R = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm) and RRhSn ( R = Ce, Pr, Nd) compounds

Magnetic properties of seven equiatomic ternary RNiSn and RRhSn compounds (R = light rare earth) have been studied in fields of up to 20 kOe in the temperature range 4.2–200 K. It has been found that all compounds follow the Curie-Weiss law above 40 K, except CeNiSn and CeRhSn which do not show Curie-Weiss behavior at any temperature. The latter show a Kondo or valence fluctuation behavior. The compound SmNiSn orders antiferromagnetically with a Néel temperature ≃ 9 K. No ordering temperature was observed down to 4.2 K for the rest of the compounds.