Crystalline Electric Field Levels in the Neodymium Monopnictides Determined by Neutron Spectroscopy

Neutron inelastic scattering experiments have been carried out to determine the energies and widths of the crystalline electric field levels in the neodymium monopnictides NdP, NdAs, and NdSb. The energy level sequence is derived from the observed crystal field transition peak intensities, which are in good agreement with calculations based on elementary crystal field theory.

The energy level widths are qualitatively discussed. It is found that the point-charge model cannot reproduce the crystal field levels satisfactorily.