Neutron Diffraction study to determine the magnetic structure of Ce2RuGe

Ce2RuGe which crystallizes in orthorhombic structure (space group Pmmn) has been found to exhibit an antiferromagnetic ordering below TN = 12 K and undergoes another transition to a ferromagnetically ordered state below Tc = 8.5 K. In this structure Ce atoms occupy two crystallographic positions Ce1 and Ce2, and it has been suggested that the Ce atoms occupying Ce1 sites exhibit valence fluctuating behaviour whereas the Ce atoms occupying Ce2 site exhibit long-range magnetic ordering. The occurrence of two transitions near 12 K and 8.5 K are consistently seen in magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity and electrical resistivity data. The 12 K transition seems to have an antiferromagnetic character whereas the 8.5 K transition depicts a ferromagnetic character. Further investigations using the neutron diffraction experiment are highly desired to determine the magnetic structure of this compound. We propose to carry out neutron diffraction measurements on Ce2RuGe using WISH diffractometer to determine the magnetic structure and understand the nature of magnetic moments on two Ce sites in this compound.