Magnetism tuning in non-centrosymmetric chiral semiconductor CeRhC2

• Applicants: Professor Juri Grin; Dr. Volodymyr Levytskyi, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 467257848

The project focuses on syntheses, characterizations and physical properties investigations of semiconducting CeRhC2 carbide and its substituted variants. To tune magnetism in this compound the Ce-Ce interactions will be influenced by using chemical pressure (can be achieved by partial substitution of Rh by smaller Co or by larger Ir or by replacement of Ce by larger La), hole doping (substitution of Rh by Ru) and electron doping (replacement of Rh by Pd). All these will result in either enhancement/reduction of the transition temperature of antiferromagnetic ordering or in switch to ferromagnetism or will cause the valence instability of Ce (i.e. mixed or intermediate valence state) in the targeted carbide. Additionally, hole/electron doping has to influence the electronic and thermal transport properties enhancing/reducing the metallicity of the studied system. Special attention will be paid to the chirality of CeRhC2 and its substituted variants as well as to the analysis of the chemical bonding situation. All the experimental studies will be supported by quantum chemical calculations and simulations as well. Thus combining all these approaches we will be able to analyze the relationships between chemical compositions, crystallographic parameters, transport- and magnetic properties in the mentioned carbides. Such an analysis is expected to broaden our knowledge about magnetism in semiconducting intermetallics. This study is also of special interest in the view of the recently obtained results in spintronic and skyrmion physics.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants