ACTA

Magnetic Order and Magnetic Inhomogeneities in SnCrTe-PbCrTe Solid Solutions

L. Kilanski^a, M. Szymański^a,b, B. Brodowska^a, M. Górska^a, R. Szymczak^a, A. Podgórni^a, A. Avdonin^a, A. Reszka^a, B.J. Kowalski^a, V. Domukhovski^a, M. Arciszewska^a, W. Dobrowolski^a, V.E. Slynko^c and E.I. Slynko^c
^aInstitute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warszawa, Poland
^bFaculty of Materials Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Wołoska 141, 02-507 Warszawa, Poland
^cInstitute of Materials Science Problems, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 5 Wilde Str., 274001 Chernovtsy, Ukraine

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We present the studies of structural, electrical and magnetic properties of bulk Sn_1-x-yPb_xCr_yTe mixed crystals with chemical composition 0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.35 and 0.007 ≤ y ≤ 0.071. The magnetometric studies indicate that for the high Cr-content, y=0.071, the alloy shows ferromagnetic alignment with the Curie temperature, T_C, around 265 K. The Cr₅Te₈ clusters are responsible for the ferromagnetic order. At low Cr content, y ≈ 0.01, a peak in the ac magnetic susceptibility identified as the cluster-glass-like transition is observed at a temperature about 130 K. The cluster-glass-like transition is likely due to the presence of Cr₂Te₃ clusters in the samples with y ≈ 0.01. The transport characterization of the samples indicated strong metallic p-type conductivity with relatively high carrier concentration, n > 10²⁰ cm^-3, and carrier mobility, μ > 150 cm²/(V s).

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.126.1203
PACS numbers: 72.80.Ga, 75.30.Hx, 75.30.Et, 75.50.Pp