W.J. Gallagher, T. Worthington, et al.
Physica B+C
Single crystals of the Chevrel phase holmium molybdenum sulfide of approximately 0.15 mm on edge have been grown in sealed molybdenum crucibles. On the bases of microprobe and full x-ray structure analysis we find a large range of Ho concentration. Susceptibilities were measured on crystals oriented with the hexagonal c axis parallel to the applied magnetic field in the temperature range 5 to 200 K using a SHE SQUID magnetometer and a force balance. We observed a paramagnetic Curie Weiss behavior in this temperature interval with θ≊0 K and a molar Curie constant about a factor of 2 larger than the expected theoretical value of 14.1. The large value of CM suggests that the Ho spins are constrained by the crystal field to the c axis. The perpendicular susceptibility is extremely small. A superconducting transition at ∼2.4 K is measured in low fields by an ac SQUID technique.