Magnetoresistance behavior of ternary rare-earth compounds near the Néel temperature

The results of the magnetoresistance ({Δ}{ρ}/{ρ}) measurements of the compounds PrCu₂{Si}₂$, ${PrCu}1.7Ni0.3{Si}₂$, ${PrCu}0.5Ni1.5{Si}₂$, ${GdNi}₂Si₂, GdCu0.4{Ni}1.6Si₂, and PrCu₂{Ge}₂$ in the vicinity of the N\'eel temperature (${T}N$) are presented. The magnetoresistance in these samples below ${T}N$ is found to exhibit a variety of behaviors depending upon the magnetic moment of the rare-earth ions and the position of the Fermi level with respect to the antiferromagnetic energy gap. The results also indicate the existence of short-range magnetic-order effects well above TN and spin fluctuations (presumably due to Ni) in GdNi₂{Si}₂$. Features characterizing the existence of a metamagnetic transition below ${T}N$ in the ${PrCu}₂Ge₂ around 15 kOe are also observed. The observations are of relevance to the understanding of magnetoresistance behavior in Ce and U materials.