Unstable Shastry-Sutherland phase in Ce$_{2}$Pd$_{2}$Sn

Thermal ($C_P$), magnetic ($M$ and $χ_{ac}$) and transport ($ρ$) measurements on Ce$_{2}$Pd$_{2}$Sn are reported. High temperature properties are well described by the presence of two excited crystal field levels at $(65\pm 5)$K and $(230\pm 20)$K, with negligible hybridization (Kondo) effects. According to literature, two transitions were observed at $T_M=4.8$K and $T_C =2.1$K respectively. The upper transition cannot be considered as a standard anti-ferromagnetic because of frustration effects in a triangular network of Ce-atoms and the positive sign of the paramagnetic temperature $θ_P^{LT} = 4.4$K. The nature of the this intermediated phase is described accounting for the formation of ferromagnetic (F) Ce-dimers disposed in a quasi-2D square lattice, resembling a Shastry-Sutherland pattern. According to hysteretic features in $ρ(T)$ and $χ_{ac}(T)$, the lower F-transition is of first order, with $C_P(T<T_C)$ revealing a gap of anisotropy $E_g\approx 7$K.

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