ac susceptibility studies of the spin freezing behavior in U2CuSi3

Ternary uranium compound U2CuSi3 have been prepare and confirmed to crystallize in the tetragonal alpha-ThSi2-type structure after annealed at 800 degrees C for 240 h. ac susceptibility measurements reveal a evident spin glass transition for this compound at a static spin freezing temperature T-S=18.3 K. Several important parameters characteristic of the spin freezing state are determined from the dynamical analyses of the ac susceptibility data. The formation of spin glass state in this sample is further proved by specific heat, electrical resistivity, and magnetic relaxation measurements. The presence of frustrated magnetic interactions in U2CuSi3 is discussed in a "magnetic cluster model." (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.