Ce2CuGe3:: A nonmagnetic atom-disorder spin glass

We have studied the magnetic, electric, and thermal properties of Ce2CuGe3. The zero-field cooled susceptibility chi(ZFC)(T) deviates from the field-cooled susceptibility chi(FC)(T) below 3 K, which suggests a spin-glass phase transition at T-f=3 K The real (chi') and imaginary (chi) components of the ac susceptibility exhibit pronounced maxima at similar to 3 K and similar to 2 K, respectively. At 2 K, the magnetization M(H) clearly exhibits hysteresis. Below 6 K, Ce2CuGe3 shows small spontaneous magnetic ordering. The specific heat C(T) of Ce2CuGe3 presents a peak similar to 4 K. Since the magnetic entropy between 2 and 4 K is much smaller than 2R In 2, the 4-K peak of C(T) is unlikely related to a long-range magnetic ordering. This 4-K peak of C(T) might be due to Schottky anomaly with spin-glass contribution. The coefficient of the term linear in temperature in the specific heat gamma of Ce2CuGe3 is 249.86 mJ mole(-1) K-2, which is much larger than that of normal metals. A spin-glass magnetism could result in a possible enlargement of the specific heat. At 2 K, the resistance R(H) features hysteresis. This compound might be classified as a nonmagnetic atom-disorder spin glass or a reentrant spin glass.