The magnetic structure of EuGe2

The magnetic ordering of the trigonal compound EuGe2 has been studied using Eu-151 Mossbauer spectroscopy and neutron powder diffraction. The europium in EuGe2 is divalent and orders antiferromagnetically (AF) below T-N similar to 49 K giving a hyperfine field of 24.4(1) T at 4.6 K. The thermal evolution of the spectra shows no evidence for changes to the structure or slow paramagnetic dynamics as T-N is approached from below. Analysis of the neutron diffraction data shows that EuGe2 orders as an A-type AF with the 7.1(2)mu(B) Eu2+ moments ordered as ferromagnetic sheets within the ab-plane and AF coupled along the c-axis, forming a magnetic cell that is doubled along the crystallographic c-axis. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.