Synthesis and study of transport and magnetic properties of magnesium cage compounds $R$Ni$_{2}$Mg$_{20}$ ($R$ = Pr and Nd)

We have synthesized magnesium cage compounds $R$Ni$_{2}$Mg$_{20}$ ($R$ = Pr and Nd). We report the measurements of electrical resistivity $ρ$, magnetic susceptibility $χ$, isothermal magnetization $M$, and specific heat $C$. Polycrystalline samples with $R$ = Pr and Nd were obtained by annealing, while the counterparts for $R$ = La, Ce, and Y were found to be absent. The $ρ(T)$ data for $R$ = Pr and Nd monotonically decrease on cooling from 300 K to 40 K and exhibit shoulders at around 13 K and 15 K, respectively. The Curie-Weiss behaviors of the $χ(T)$ data indicate the trivalent states of both the Pr and Nd ions. For $R$ = Pr, the maximum in $C(T)$ at around 7 K is reproduced by a doublet-triplet two-level model with an energy gap of 14 K. The peak in $C(T)$ at 0.7 K is attributed to a short-range order of quadrupolar degrees of freedom in the non-Kramers ground doublet. On the other hand, for $R$ = Nd, a maximum in $C(T)$ at around 9 K is explained by thermal excitation from a ground state doublet to an excited quartet separated by 23 K. Upon further cooling, $C(T)$ shows a lambda-shaped peak at 1.5 K. By applying magnetic fields up to 2 T, the peak becomes broad and shifts to higher temperatures, which is a characteristic of a ferromagnetic order.