•F. Weber¹, A. Cosceev¹, A. Nateprov^1,2, M. Uhlarz¹, C. Pfleiderer¹ und H. v. Löhneysen^1,3
1Physikalisches Institut, Universität Karlsruhe, D-76128 Karlsuhe, Germany
²Institute of Applied Physics, Academei 5, MD-2028 Kishinev, Moldova
³Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Festkörperphysik, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany

We report the synthesis and characterisation of a new ternary Europium pnictide EuZn₂Sb₂. Single crystals were grown by a solid state reaction of high-purity starting materials in carbon glass crucibles. The crystal structure was determined using powder x-ray diffraction. Single crystals were oriented using Laue x-ray diffraction. EuZn₂Sb₂ is isostructural with the hexagonal Yb compound YbZn₂Sb₂. The bulk properties were characterised in terms of measurements of the resistivity, magnetoresistance, Hall effect, specific heat and magnetisation. Pronounced features characteristic of antiferromagnetic order with T_N = 13.3 K are observed. For field parallel to the c-axis the antiferromagnetism is suppressed above 2.7 T while it persists up to ~ 4.7 T for field in the basal plane. An analysis of the nature of the antiferromagnetic state as inferred from the bulk properties is presented.