Magnetic phase transitions in TbRhSn

The magnetic ordering of TbRhSn, crystallizing in the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure, has been investigated by high-resolution neutron diffractometry in the temperature range between 1.7 and 23.9 K. Tb in TbRhSn has been found to order magnetically below 19 K. Its magnetic structure corresponds to propagation vector (k) over right arrow = [(1)/(2), 0, (1)/(2)], and by a new group-theoretical analysis is shown to be based on the two irreducible representations tau(2) and tau(4). This model also explains the change of magnetic ordering at T-t = 11 K. New aspects of bulk magnetic measurements are also reported. Moreover, our results are compared with previously published data. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.