Neutron scattering and crystal fields in Pr-hydrides

The crystal field splittings of PrD2 and PrD2.5 have been determined by inelastic neutron scattering. While for PrD2 the crystal field experienced by the majority of Pr-ions is cubic, it is shown that in PrD2.5 the occupation of the octahedral interstitials occurs not in a statistical but rather in a well defined way which leads to an orthorhombic crystal field at the Pr-site.