Electronic properties of CeCuGa and LaCuGa

We present specific heat, electrical resistivity and magnetic properties of CeCuGa and LaCuGa, which crystallize in the orthorhombic CeCu/sub 2/ structure. While LaCuGa is nonmagnetic, magnetic ordering is detected for CeCaGa. The ordering is reflected in anomalies in specific heat and electrical resistivity at 1.8 K. Above 100 K, CeCuGa exhibits Curie-Weiss behaviour with an effective moment of 2.58 /spl musub B/ and a paramagnetic Curie temperature of -33 K. Furthermore, this compound exhibits strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the electrical resistivity displays Kondo-like behaviour below 30 K. The electronic contributions to the specific heat were determined to be 70 mJ/K/sup 2/ mol and 9 mJ/K/sup 2/ mol for CeCuCa and LaCuGa, respectively.<
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