Multiple magnetic phase transitions, dilute Fe hyperfine fields and europium valence instabilities in RMn₂Si_2-xGe_x, R=rare earth

Mössbauer studies of dilute⁵⁷Fe and¹⁵¹Eu in RMn₂Si_2-xGe_x (R=La, Sm, Eu and Gd) at temperatures 4.2 K to 480 K have been performed. The diamagnetic iron and europium reveal the magnetic order of the Mn and rare earth sublattices through transferred hyperfine interactions. The⁵⁷Fe studies show that in LaMn₂Si₂, LaMn₂Ge₂, and SmMn₂Ge₂ the Mn is magnetically ordered above the known Curie temperatures, and the compounds are antiferromagnets up to T_N=470 K, 415 K and 385 K respectively. Studies of¹⁵¹Eu in R_1-xEu_xMn₂Si₂, (R=La, Gd) display Eu subspectra corresponding to Eu²⁺, Eu³⁺ and intermediate valant Eu. All display large magnetic hyperfine fields.