Electrical resistivity and specific heat of single-crystalline EuFe(2)As(2): A magnetic homologue of SrFe(2)As(2)

Abstract

We have grown single crystals of EuFe(2)As(2), and investigated its electrical transport and thermodynamic properties. Electrical resistivity and specific-heat measurements clearly establish the intrinsic nature of magnetic phase transitions at 20 and 195 K. While the high-temperature phase transition is associated with the itinerant moment of Fe, the low-temperature phase transition is due to magnetic order of localized Eu moments. Band-structure calculations point out a very close similarity of the electronic structure with SrFe(2)As(2). Magnetically, the Eu and Fe(2)As(2) sublattices are nearly decoupled.