VALENCE STATES OF SM IN SMRUSN3

To obtain a better insight into the nature of valence states of Sm ions in SmRuSn3 and to verify the differing conclusions reached by T. Fukuhara, I. Sakamoto, and H. Sato [J. Phys. Condens. Matter 3, 8917 (1991)] and C. Godart et al. [Phys. Rev. B 48, 16 402 (1993)], we have systematically analyzed the magnetic-susceptibility data by considering the effects of crystalline electric field, exchange interaction, and valence fluctuation. In this compound, Sm ions occupy two different sites, 6d and 2a, in the ratio of 3:1. Our analysis shows that Sm ions at the 6d site are in a trivalent state and those at the 2a sites are in a valence fluctuating state. This supports the claim made by C. Godart et al. [Phys. Rev. B 48, 16 402 (1993)].