Structural magnetic and transport properties of a new valence fluctuating compound: CeRhSi₂

The compound CeRhSi₂, crystallizing in the orthorhombic CeNiSi₂-type structure, has been synthesized and studied by magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity between 1.7 and 300 K. The unit cell volume of CeRhSi₂ shows a deviation from the lanthanide contraction. The temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of CeRhSi₂ exhibits a broad maximum at 80 K, which is characteristic of Ce based valence fluctuating compounds. The electric resistivity also shows a broad maximum at about 100 K, and exhibits a T² dependence at low temperatures. These measurements confirm the valence fluctuating nature of CeRhSi₂. An analysis is presented of the susceptibility data on the basis of the Coqblin-Schrieffer model, and of the resistivity data on the basis of the Freimuth model.