Investigating the An+1BnX3n+1 Homologous Series: A New Platform for Studying Magnetic Praseodymium Based Intermetallics

The recent discovery of the A(n+1)B(n)X(3n+1) (A = lanthanide, B = transition metal, X = tetrel) homologous series provides a new platform to study the structure-property relationships of highly correlated electron systems. Several members of Cen+1ConGe3n+1 (n = 1, 4, 5, 6, and infinity) show evidence of heavy electron behavior with complex magnetic interactions. While the Ce analogues have been investigated, only n = 1, 2, and infinity of Pr(n+1)Co(n)Ge(3n+)1 have been synthesized, with n = 1 and 2 showing a nonsinglet magnetic ground state. The Pr analogues can provide a platform for direct comparison of highly correlated behavior. In this perspective, we discuss the impetus for synthesizing the Prn+1ConGe3n+1 members and present the structural characterization of the n = 3 and n = 4 members. We lay the foundation for future investigations of the Prn+1ConGe3n+1 family of compounds and highlight the importance of complementary methods to characterize new quantum materials.

Automated summary

The recent discovery of the A(n+1)B(n)X(3n+1) homologous series provides a new platform to study the structure-property relationships of highly correlated electron systems. This perspective discusses the motivation for synthesizing Prn+1ConGe3n+1 compounds and presents the structural characterization of n = 3 and n = 4 members. These findings lay the foundation for future investigations and highlight the importance of complementary methods for characterizing new quantum materials.