Crystal structure and magnetic properties in semiconducting Eu3-δZn xSn yAs3with Eu-Eu dimers

Yongqi Yang; Guangming Cheng; Joanna Blawat; Duncan H. Moseley; Haozhe Wang; Kasey P. Devlin; Yu Yu; Raphaël P. Hermann; Nan Yao; Rongying Jin; Weiwei Xie

doi:10.1063/5.0094013

Crystal structure and magnetic properties in semiconducting Eu_3-δZn _xSn _yAs₃with Eu-Eu dimers

Yongqi Yang, Guangming Cheng, Joanna Blawat, Duncan H. Moseley, Haozhe Wang, Kasey P. Devlin, Yu Yu, Raphaël P. Hermann, Nan Yao, Rongying Jin, Weiwei Xie

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Magnetic structure and crystal symmetry, which primarily determine the time-reversal and inversion symmetry, may give rise to numerous exotic quantum phenomena in magnetic semiconductors and semimetals when arranged in different patterns. In this work, a new layered magnetic semiconductor, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3, was discovered and high-quality single crystals were grown using the Sn flux. According to structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is found to crystallize in a hexagonal symmetry with the space group P63/mmc (No. 194). After examining different specimens, we conclude that their stoichiometry is fixed at ∼Eu2.6Zn0.65Sn0.85As3, which meets the chemical charge balance. Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is composed of septuple (Eu1-δSnyAs2)-Eu-(ZnxAs)-Eu sequences. The shortest Eu-Eu distance in the system is between two Eu layers separated by ZnxAs along the c-axis. Magnetization measurement shows an antiferromagnetic ordering in Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 at TN ∼12 K, where the magnetic easy-axis is along the c-axis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy observes magnetic hyperfine splitting on Eu and Sn at 6 K. Magnetic anisotropy is significantly different from the ones along the ab-plane in other layered Eu-based magnetic semimetals. Heat capacity measurements confirm the magnetic transition around 12 K. Electrical resistivity measurement indicates semiconductor behavior with a band gap of ∼0.86 eV. Various Eu-based magnetic semiconductors could provide a tunable platform to study potential topological and magnetic properties.

Original language	English
Article number	043902
Journal	Journal of Applied Physics
Volume	132
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0094013
State	Published - Jul 28 2022

Funding

W.X. deeply appreciates the useful discussion with Professor Susan Kauzlarich (UC-Davis). The work at Rutgers was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences under Award No. DE-SC0022156. Mössbauer spectral work by D.H.M. and R.P.H. was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Materials Sciences and Engineering Division. Work by J.B. and R.J. was supported by No. NSF DMR-1504226. The authors acknowledge the sample characterization of Imaging and Analysis Center (IAC) at Princeton University, partially supported by the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM) and the NSF-MRSEC program (MRSEC; No. DMR-2011750).

Funders	Funder number
NSF-MRSEC program
National Science Foundation	DMR-1504226
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Basic Energy Sciences	DE-SC0022156
Princeton University
Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering
Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University	DMR-2011750
Princeton Center for Complex Materials

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title = "Crystal structure and magnetic properties in semiconducting Eu3-δZn xSn yAs3with Eu-Eu dimers",

abstract = "Magnetic structure and crystal symmetry, which primarily determine the time-reversal and inversion symmetry, may give rise to numerous exotic quantum phenomena in magnetic semiconductors and semimetals when arranged in different patterns. In this work, a new layered magnetic semiconductor, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3, was discovered and high-quality single crystals were grown using the Sn flux. According to structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is found to crystallize in a hexagonal symmetry with the space group P63/mmc (No. 194). After examining different specimens, we conclude that their stoichiometry is fixed at ∼Eu2.6Zn0.65Sn0.85As3, which meets the chemical charge balance. Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is composed of septuple (Eu1-δSnyAs2)-Eu-(ZnxAs)-Eu sequences. The shortest Eu-Eu distance in the system is between two Eu layers separated by ZnxAs along the c-axis. Magnetization measurement shows an antiferromagnetic ordering in Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 at TN ∼12 K, where the magnetic easy-axis is along the c-axis, and M{\"o}ssbauer spectroscopy observes magnetic hyperfine splitting on Eu and Sn at 6 K. Magnetic anisotropy is significantly different from the ones along the ab-plane in other layered Eu-based magnetic semimetals. Heat capacity measurements confirm the magnetic transition around 12 K. Electrical resistivity measurement indicates semiconductor behavior with a band gap of ∼0.86 eV. Various Eu-based magnetic semiconductors could provide a tunable platform to study potential topological and magnetic properties.",

author = "Yongqi Yang and Guangming Cheng and Joanna Blawat and Moseley, {Duncan H.} and Haozhe Wang and Devlin, {Kasey P.} and Yu Yu and Hermann, {Rapha{\"e}l P.} and Nan Yao and Rongying Jin and Weiwei Xie",

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AU - Yang, Yongqi

AU - Cheng, Guangming

AU - Blawat, Joanna

AU - Moseley, Duncan H.

AU - Wang, Haozhe

AU - Devlin, Kasey P.

AU - Yu, Yu

AU - Hermann, Raphaël P.

AU - Yao, Nan

AU - Jin, Rongying

AU - Xie, Weiwei

PY - 2022/7/28

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N2 - Magnetic structure and crystal symmetry, which primarily determine the time-reversal and inversion symmetry, may give rise to numerous exotic quantum phenomena in magnetic semiconductors and semimetals when arranged in different patterns. In this work, a new layered magnetic semiconductor, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3, was discovered and high-quality single crystals were grown using the Sn flux. According to structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is found to crystallize in a hexagonal symmetry with the space group P63/mmc (No. 194). After examining different specimens, we conclude that their stoichiometry is fixed at ∼Eu2.6Zn0.65Sn0.85As3, which meets the chemical charge balance. Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is composed of septuple (Eu1-δSnyAs2)-Eu-(ZnxAs)-Eu sequences. The shortest Eu-Eu distance in the system is between two Eu layers separated by ZnxAs along the c-axis. Magnetization measurement shows an antiferromagnetic ordering in Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 at TN ∼12 K, where the magnetic easy-axis is along the c-axis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy observes magnetic hyperfine splitting on Eu and Sn at 6 K. Magnetic anisotropy is significantly different from the ones along the ab-plane in other layered Eu-based magnetic semimetals. Heat capacity measurements confirm the magnetic transition around 12 K. Electrical resistivity measurement indicates semiconductor behavior with a band gap of ∼0.86 eV. Various Eu-based magnetic semiconductors could provide a tunable platform to study potential topological and magnetic properties.

AB - Magnetic structure and crystal symmetry, which primarily determine the time-reversal and inversion symmetry, may give rise to numerous exotic quantum phenomena in magnetic semiconductors and semimetals when arranged in different patterns. In this work, a new layered magnetic semiconductor, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3, was discovered and high-quality single crystals were grown using the Sn flux. According to structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is found to crystallize in a hexagonal symmetry with the space group P63/mmc (No. 194). After examining different specimens, we conclude that their stoichiometry is fixed at ∼Eu2.6Zn0.65Sn0.85As3, which meets the chemical charge balance. Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 is composed of septuple (Eu1-δSnyAs2)-Eu-(ZnxAs)-Eu sequences. The shortest Eu-Eu distance in the system is between two Eu layers separated by ZnxAs along the c-axis. Magnetization measurement shows an antiferromagnetic ordering in Eu3-δZnxSnyAs3 at TN ∼12 K, where the magnetic easy-axis is along the c-axis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy observes magnetic hyperfine splitting on Eu and Sn at 6 K. Magnetic anisotropy is significantly different from the ones along the ab-plane in other layered Eu-based magnetic semimetals. Heat capacity measurements confirm the magnetic transition around 12 K. Electrical resistivity measurement indicates semiconductor behavior with a band gap of ∼0.86 eV. Various Eu-based magnetic semiconductors could provide a tunable platform to study potential topological and magnetic properties.

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ER -

Crystal structure and magnetic properties in semiconducting Eu_3-δZn _xSn _yAs₃with Eu-Eu dimers

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