Antiferromagnetic semiconductor NdAsTe: A new member of LnAsTe (Ln = Lanthanoids) compounds

Rare-earth-based intermetallic compounds are at the forefront of materials science, providing valuable insights into the interplay among magnetism, topology, and structural correlations. The interesting properties of these materials, driven by localized 4f -electrons, strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and crystal electric field (CEF) effect, make them a focal point in solid-state physics for designing advanced functional materials. We have synthesized NdAsTe using the solid-state reaction route and explored the temperature and field-dependent magnetic properties, which demonstrate long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering below T N ≃ 2.4 K. The low-temperature Curie-Weiss temperature θ CW ≃ -1.89 K implies a net AFM interaction between the Nd 3+ ions. Furthermore, the isothermal magnetization data exhibit signatures of spin-reorientation of the AFM-aligned spins at T < T N , corroborated through magnetic entropy studies. The signature of AFM transition is also manifested as a peak at T N in the temperature-dependent specific heat which gradually shifts towards lower temperatures at higher applied fields. The derived parameters from specific heat data suggest the presence of strong electronic correlations in NdAsTe. The magnetic susceptibility and specific heat data suggest that the magnetic ground state is a Kramers' doublet with effective spin J eff = 1/2 at low temperatures. The electrical transport study revealed the semiconducting nature with a band gap of 70 meV. Furthermore, the low temperature (T < 20 K) magnetotransport studies unfold a crossover from positive to negative magnetoresistance behavior.