Structure and properties of SmCu6 − xIn6 + x (x = 0, 1, 2)

High quality single crystals of SmCu6In6 were obtained from the reactions run in excess liquid indium and characterized by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction data. SmCu6In6 crystallizes in the YCu6In6 structure type, tetragonal space group I4/mmm and lattice constants are a = b = 9.2036(3) Å and c = 5.4232(3) Å. SmCu6 − xIn6 + x (x = 0, 1, 2) compounds were obtained using arc melting and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction. Magnetic susceptibility data follow modified Curie–Weiss law behaviour above 50 K and the experimentally measured magnetic moment values in SmCu4In8, SmCu5In7 and SmCu6In6 are 0.83 μB, 1.45 μB and 0.90 μB per Sm atom, respectively. SmCu5In7 and SmCu6In6 compounds show antiferromagnetic ordering at TN = 7.8 K, and no magnetic ordering was observed for SmCu4In8 down to 2 K. Electrical resistivity measurements show that all compounds are of metallic nature.