Title: Kondo lattice heavy fermion behavior in CeRh2Ga2,
Abstract: The physical properties of an intermetallic compound CeRh2Ga2 have been
investigated by magnetic susceptibility \chi(T), isothermal magnetization M(H),
heat capacity C_p(T), electrical resistivity \rho(T), thermal conductivity
\kappa(T) and thermopower S(T) measurements. CeRh2Ga2 is found to crystallize
with CaBe2Ge2-type primitive tetragonal structure (space group P4/nmm). No
evidence of long range magnetic order is seen down to 1.8 K. The \chi(T) data
show paramagnetic behavior with an effective moment \mu_eff ~ 2.5 \mu_B/Ce
indicating Ce^3+ valence state of Ce ions. The \rho(T) data exhibit Kondo
lattice behavior with a metallic ground state. The low-T C_p(T) data yield an
enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient \gamma = 130(2) mJ/mol K^2 characterizing
CeRh2Ga2 as a moderate heavy fermion system. The high-T C_p(T) and \rho(T) show
an anomaly near 255 K, reflecting a phase transition. The \kappa(T) suggests
phonon dominated thermal transport with considerably higher values of Lorenz
number L(T) compared to the theoretical Sommerfeld value L_0.