Synthesis and magnetic properties of ALnO2 (A=Cu or Ag; Ln=rare earths) with the delafossite structure

Synthesis, structures, and magnetic properties of ternary rare earth oxides ALnO2 (A=Cu or Ag; Ln=rare earths) have been investigated. CuLnO2 (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu) were synthesized by the direct solid state reaction of Cu2O and Ln2O3, and AgLnO2 (Ln=Tm, Yb, Lu) were obtained by the cation-exchange reaction of NaLnO2 and AgNO3 in a KNO3 flux. These compounds crystallized in the delafossite-type structure with the rhombohedral 3R type (space group: R-3m). Magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that these compounds are paramagnetic down to 1.8 K. Specific heat measurements down to 0.4 K indicated that CuNdO2 ordered antiferromagnetically at 0.8 K.