Magnetic properties of Tl9LnTe6, Ln=Ce, Pr, Tb and Sm

After introducing the thermoelectric properties of Tl10−xLnxTe6, the magnetic properties of the allegedly formally electron precise (Tl+)9Ln3+(Te2−)6 materials with Ln=Ce, Pr, Sm and Tb were investigated using a SQUID magnetometer. All the compounds were found to be paramagnetic with experimental magnetic moments of 2.07, 3.25 and 9.67μB for Tl9CeTe6, Tl9PrTe6 and Tl9TbTe6, respectively. The lower magnetic moment for the cerium compound points towards the possibility of the presence of mixed valent Ce in Tl9CeTe6.