Magnetic and Nonmagnetic Charge States in YbPd

Abstract

In YbPd, ${}_{}{}^{170}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Yb}$ Mössbauer measurements show that two different Yb charge states, one magnetic and one nonmagnetic, are present in essentially equal proportions. For the magnetic fraction the saturated spontaneous magnetic moment is $1.15{\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}$, which is lower than that in any of the ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ cubic crystal-field levels, and there is no evidence of any anisotropy in the $4f$-shell charge distribution. These results suggest the presence of $4f$-conduction-band hybridization. Both above and below the ordering temperature of the magnetic fraction, the remaining Yb possess a negligibly small magnetic susceptibility and an isomer-shift value characteristic of a charge state close to ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{2+}$.