Solidification and crystal growth of binary Tb5Si3 intermetallics

Abstract Tb 5 Si 3 single crystals were grown by a vertical floating zone method with radiation heating at a zone traveling rate of 3 mm/h. The compound exhibits congruent melting behavior at a temperature of about 1785 °C. The crystal is nearly stoichiometric as proved by chemical analysis and exhibits a hexagonal Mn 5 Si 3 -type structure with lattice parameters a =0.8469 nm and c =0.6354 nm. Platelet-like Tb 5 Si 4 precipitates contained in the crystal matrix proved that the Tb 5 Si 3 compound possesses a finite homogeneity range. The fraction of precipitates has been diminished by crystal growth with slightly Si depleted feed rod compositions. Single crystalline samples exhibit magnetic ordering below a temperature T N =69 K and a magnetic easy axis [0 1 0] in the basis plane of the hexagonal unit cell.