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Abstract:
Rare-earth rhenium borides REReB4 (RE = Ce, Gd-Er, Yb) were synthesized
by various methods, including spark plasma sintering. They crystallize
with the YCrB4 structure type (space group Pbam). The Tb, Ho, Er, and Yb
representatives are Curie-Weiss paramagnets with the RE atoms in the +3
oxidation state, whereas the cerium atoms in CeReB4 are in the 4f(0)
configuration (oxidation state +4). Electronic-structure calculations
predict CeReB4 to be a metal with a density of states N(E-F) = 1.6
stateseV(-1)f.u.(-1) (f.u.: formula unit). Measurements of the transport
properties confirm that REReB4 (RE = Ce, Tb, Ho) are metallic materials
with low thermopowers and relatively high thermal conductivities.
