Electronic Structure And Magnetic Properties Of Cepdsb And Ce1-Xlaxpdsb

Using the various full-potential linear augmented plane wave (LAPW) methods we have studied the band structure of CePdSb and Ce1-xLaxPdSb series of compounds. In the band calculations, CePdSb is half-metallic, i.e., metallic for majority spin while semiconducting for minority spin bands. The spin-polarized linearized muffin-tin orbital method also shows a half-metallic behavior of the Ce1-xLaxPdSb compounds. The magnetic investigations and the electrical resistivity data indicate the existence of a ferromagnetic state in Ce1-xLaxPdSb for xless than or equal to0.7. The sample Ce0.1La0.9PdSb is nonmagnetic and shows the power-law exponents in its susceptibility Deltachi, resistivity Deltarho, and specific heat DeltaC/T temperature dependences indicative of the non-Fermi liquid behavior. The 3d x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) spectra indicate the occupation number of the f-shell, n(f)=1, in CePdSb and Ce1-xLaxPdSb compounds. Analysis of the 3d(9)f(2) weight in the 3d XPS spectra using Gunnarsson-Schonhammer theory suggests the f-states and conduction electron-states hybridization interaction Delta of about 80 meV for different configurations x of the system. We interpret the XPS data in terms of the band-structure calculations.