Crystal Structure and Valence Behavior of YbPdxGa11-x.

Abstract The ternary phase YbPdxGa11−x has been synthesized from the elements by high frequency argon melting. An extended homogeneous region at 600 °C has been established from X-ray powder data for 2.3≤×≤3.4. The crystal structure of YbPd3Ga8 has been derived from X-ray single crystal counter data: partially ordered BaHg11-type, space group Pm 3 m (O1h, No. 221), a=8.4346(5) A: RF=0.054 for 176 independent reflections with I>2σ. YbPdxGa11−x samples are temperature independent Pauli-type paramagnets for x≤3. Increasing the palladium content to x>3 leads to an enhanced f–d electron interaction, and a variation of the magnetic moment due to valence instabilities (4f14→4f13) is established using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.