Magnetic and electrical properties of R2CuGe6 compounds (R=Y, Ce, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb)

The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of the R2CuGe6 (R=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb) compounds was measured in the range 84-300 K. It is shown that these rare earth compounds are Langevin type paramagnets except the Y2CuGe6 compound which is a Pauli paramagnet with low and temperature independent magnetic susceptibility. The resistivity of the compounds with R=Y, Ce, Nd, Gd, Tb, Ho, Yb was measured in the range 78-380 K. The differential thermopower of the Ce2CuGe6 and Tb2CuGe6 compounds was investigated in the range 78-380 K. Specific resistivity of the above-mentioned germanides increases linearly with increasing temperature and adopts values normally found in intermetallics. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.