  The crystal structures and the physical (magnetic, electrical transport and
thermodynamic) properties of the ternary compounds CeRhSi2 and Ce2Rh3Si5
(orthorhombic CeNiSi2- and U2Co3Si5-type structures, respectively) were studied
in wide ranges of temperature and magnetic field strength. The results revealed
that both materials are valence fluctuating systems, in line with previous
literature reports. Direct evidence for valence fluctuations was obtained by
means of Ce LIII-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy and Ce 3d core-level x-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy. The experimental data were confronted with the
results of ab initio calculations of the electronic band structures in both
compounds.
