Structural transition and anisotropic magnetism in disordered Zintl phase Eu7Ga6Sb8
Abstract
Single crystals of the Zintl compound Eu7Ga6Sb8 were synthesized using a Ga-Sb flux. We report the temperature (T ) and magnetic field (H ) dependence of the magnetic susceptibility (χ ), magnetization (M ), resistivity (ρ ), specific heat (C ), and thermal expansion (α ). We also report high-resolution powder x-ray diffraction data that support a structural phase transition with accompanying signatures seen in C (T ) , ρ (T ) , and α (T ) . We find Eu7Ga6Sb8 exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering at TN 1=9.0 K from anomalies seen in χ (T ) , C (T ) , and α (T ) , as well as a potential reorientation of Eu2+ spins at TN 2=7.5 K and TN 3=7.2 K. Density functional theory calculations predict Eu7Ga6Sb8 to be semiconducting; however, electrical resistivity measurements show bad-metal behavior that indicates the presence of disorder.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Materials
- Pub Date:
- September 2023
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.7.094601
- Bibcode:
- 2023PhRvM...7i4601C