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Abstract

Compounds belonging to the R2Fe3Si5 series exhibit unusual superconducting and magnetic properties. Although a number of studies have been made on the first reentrant antiferromagnet superconductor Tm2Fe3Si5, the physical properties of Yb2Fe3Si5 are largely unexplored. In this work, we attempt to provide a comprehensive study of bulk properties such as, resistivity, susceptibility, and heat capacity of a well-characterized polycrystalline Yb2Fe3Si5. Our measurements indicate that Yb3+ moments order antiferromagnetically below 1.7 K. Moreover, the system behaves as a Kondo lattice with large Sommerfeld coefficient (gamma) of 0.5 J/Yb mol K-2 at 0.3 K, which is well below T-N. The absence of superconductivity in Yb2Fe3Si5 down to 0.3 K at ambient pressure is attributed to the presence of the Kondo effect.