Magnetic properties of RCr2Si2 compounds (R=Tb, Er)

We report on magnetic properties of RCr2Si2 compounds with R=Tb, Er. The polycrystalline samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and found to be isostructurally crystallizing in the ThCr2Si2-type tetragonal structure. The samples were further investigated by specific heat, AC-susceptibility and magnetization methods in the temperature range 2–900 K and in magnetic fields up to 9 T. The magnetic measurements revealed the magnetic ordering of the rare-earth moments below about 2 K, whilst no high-temperature ordering of the Cr moments was observed. The evidence of for Cr magnetism is corroborated by results of first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT).