Semi-Heusler-type intermetallics MPtSn (M=Ti, Zr, Hf, Th): a magnetic susceptibility and NMR study

A careful analysis of magnetization isotherms recorded in the temperature range 1.9–300 K, and in magnetic field strengths up to 5 T shows that the TiPtSn, ZrPtSn, HfPtSn and ThPtSn all are diamagnetic with intrinsic susceptibilities of −2.76, −7.54, −8.67 and −10.18 m3/mol, respectively. shown that an application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of 47Ti, 49Ti and 91Zr quadrupolar nuclei is extremely useful in controlling the microscopic structure of semi-Heusler-type intermetallics, e.g. structural order/disorder at local sites. No valuable information on structural order/disorder in MPtSn compounds can, however, be directly obtained from static NMR spectra of spin 1/2 117Sn, 119Sn and 195Pt nuclei since the observed spectra are broadened far beyond the rigid-lattice dipolar width due to indirect spin couplings of these heavy nuclei through the chemical bond.