It Runs in the BaAl4 Family: Relating the Structure and Properties of Middle Child Ln(2)Co(3)Ge(5) (Ln = Pr, Nd, and Sm) to its Siblings LnCo(2)Ge(2) and LnCoGe(3)

The BaAl4 prototype structure and its derivatives have been identified to host several topological quantum materials and noncentrosymmetric superconductors. Single crystals up to similar to 3 mm x 3 mm x 5 mm of Ln(2)Co(3)Ge(5) (Ln = Pr, Nd, and Sm) are obtained via flux growth utilizing Sn as metallic flux. The crystal structure is isostructural to the Lu2Co3Si5 structure type in the crystallographic space group C2/c. The temperature-dependent magnetization indicates magnetic ordering at 30 K for all three compounds. Pr2Co3Ge5 and Nd2Co3Ge5 exhibit complex magnetic behavior with spin reorientations before ordering antiferromagnetically around 6 K, whereas Sm2Co3Ge5 shows a clear antiferromagnetic behavior at 26 K. The structures and properties of Ln(2)Co(3)Ge(5) (Ln = Pr, Nd, and Sm) are compared to those of the ThCr2Si2 and BaNiSn3 structure types. Herein, we present the optimized crystal growth, structure, and physical properties of Ln(2)Co(3)Ge(5) (Ln = Pr, Nd, and Sm).