Valence states key to understanding the Cr12-xTe16 compound
April 2, 2020
(Left) Neutron diffraction patterns in the (HHL) scattering plane at T = 5K with arrows marking the peaks showing magnetic contributions. (Right) Crystal structure illustrating the isolated Cr2/C3 magnetic layers. Note that the Cr4 position is partially occupied.
Scientific Achievement
The magnetic structure of Cr9.35Te16 was solved, showing that of the four Cr-ions in the unit cell, two (Cr2/Cr3) with valence Cr3+ have ferromagnetically aligned moments, and two (Cr1/Cr4) with valence Cr2+ show no ordered moment.
Significance and Impact
Physical properties of the Cr-Te system can be tuned by varying the Cr-content, and here have led to a new and unique two-dimensional material with magnetism confined to the Cr2/Cr3 layers.
Research Details
- The magnetic structure was determined by neutron diffraction.
- The Cr valences were determined by XANES (x-ray absorption near edge structure).
“Structure, chromium vacancies, and magnetism in a Cr12−xTe16 compound,”
Guixin Cao, Qiang Zhang, Matthias Frontzek, Weiwei Xie, Dongliang Gong, George E. Sterbinsky, and Rongying Jin,
Physical Review Materials, 3, 125001 (2019). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.3.125001
