Single crystals of EuGa2Pn2 (Pn=P, As) were grown from a molten Ga flux and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 100(1) K. They are isostructural and crystallize in a new structure type (monoclinic, P2/m, a=9.2822(9) A, =3.8967(4) A, c=12.0777(11) A, Β=95.5220(10), R1= 0.0148, wR2=0.0325 (EuGa2P2) and a=9.4953(7) A, b=4.0294(3) A, c=12.4237(9) A, Β =95.3040(10), R1=0.0155, wR2=0.0315 (EuGa2As2)). The structures consist of alternating layers of two-dimensional Ga2Pn2 anions and Eu cations. The anion layers are composed of Ga2Pn6 staggered, ethane-like moieties having a rare Ga-Ga bonding motif; these moieties are connected in a complex fashion bymeans of shared Pn atoms. Both structures showsmall residual electron densities that can be modeled by adding a Eu atom and removing two bonded Ga atoms, resulting in structures (< 2%) wheremost of the atoms are the same, but there is a difference in bonding that leads to one-dimensional ribbons of parallel Ga2Pn6 staggered, ethane-like moieties. The compounds can be understood within the Zintl formalism, but show metallic resistivity. Magnetization measurements performed on single crystals show low-temperature magnetic anisotropy as well as multiple magnetic ordering events that occur at and below 24 and 20 K for the phosphorus and arsenic analogs, respectively. The magnetic coupling between Eu ions is attributed to indirect exchange via an RKKY interaction, which is consistent with the metallic behavior. The compounds display large negative magnetoresistance of up to-80 and-30%(MR=[(F(H)-F(0))/F(H)] 100%) for Pn=P,As, respectively,which is maximal at the magnetic ordering temperatures in the highest measured field (5T).

Single crystals of the new Zintl phases AIn2P2 [A = Ca (calcium indium phosphide), Sr (strontium indium phosphide) and Ba (barium indium phosphide)] have been synthesized from a reactive indium flux. CaIn2P2 and SrIn2P2 are isostructural with EuIn2P2 and crystallize in the space group P63/mmc. The alkaline earth cations A are located at a site with 3m symmetry; In and P are located at sites with 3m symmetry. The structure type consists of layers of A2+ cations separated by [In2P2]2- anions that contain [In2P6] eclipsed ethane-like units that are further connected by shared P atoms. This yields a double layer of six-membered rings in which the In-In bonds are parallel to the c axis and to one another. BaIn2P2 crystallizes in a new structure type in the space group P2(1)/m with Z = 4, with all atoms residing on sites of mirror symmetry. The structure contains layers of Ba2+ cations separated by [In2P2]2- layers of staggered [In2P6] units that form a mixture of four-, five- and six-membered rings. As a consequence of this more complicated layered structure, both the steric and electronic requirements of the large Ba2+ cation are met.

The magnetic, thermal, and transport properties of single crystals of the narrow gap semiconductor Ce3 Au3 Sb4 have been studied. Transport data are consistent with an exponential activation and variable range hopping at low temperatures, which is characteristic of weak disorder and localization. The specific heat and the magnetic susceptibility data suggest the existence of a large density of states of localized states in the gap. The physics is then different from standard Kondo insulators. From its unique physical properties, we propose a three band model (valence, conduction, and f bands) with weak disorder that explains most of the experimental findings. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, specific heat, and electrical resistivity studies on single crystals of Ce4Pt12Sn25 reveal an antiferromagnetic transition at T(N) = 0.19 K, which develops from a paramagnetic state with a very large specific heat coefficient (C/T) of 14 J mol(-1) K(-2)-Ce just above T(N). On the basis of its crystal structure and these measurements, we argue that a weak magnetic exchange interaction in Ce4Pt12Sn25 is responsible for its low ordering temperature and a negligible Kondo-derived contribution to physical properties above T(N). The anomalous enhancement of specific heat above T(N) is suggested to be related, in part, to weak geometric frustration of f-moments in this compound.