Electronic, Magnetic and Superconducting Properties of Quasi-two Dimensional Compounds Ce₂RhIn₈ and La₂RhIn₈

Abstract

We have measured the electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, high-field magnetization, specific heat and de Haas–van Alphen (dHvA) oscillation of Ce₂RhIn₈, together with the dHvA oscillation of La₂RhIn₈. In La₂RhIn₈ we detected three kinds of dHvA branches showing cylindrical Fermi surfaces, which are well explained by the result of FLAPW energy band calculations. The corresponding two dHvA branches were detected in Ce₂RhIn₈, indicating that the topology of the Fermi surface in Ce₂RhIn₈ is approximately the same as that of La₂RhIn₈. The magnetic susceptibility and magnetization of Ce₂RhIn₈ were analyzed on the basis of the crystalline electric field scheme of localized-4f energy levels. Pressure-induced superconductivity was confirmed above 1.2 GPa from the resistivity and ac-susceptibility measurements.