Direct observation of the microstructure in cluster glass compound U(2)IrSi(3).

ABSTRACT

We have examined the structure of a U(2)IrSi(3) compound exhibiting ferromagnetic cluster glass behaviour by means of electron diffraction observation and high-resolution electron microscopy. The structure of U(2)IrSi(3) has been proposed as a new one of the U(2)RuSi(3)-type with a short-range ordered double stacking sequence of the U(2)RuSi(3)-type structure along the c-axis, and long-range ordered atomic arrangements in the a-b plane. The calculated patterns reproduce the characteristic features of observed electron patterns well. The Fourier-filtered high-resolution image clearly exhibits a micro-domain structure, which is considered to relate directly to the origin of the observed cluster glass behaviour in U(2)IrSi(3).