Magnetic Properties of Copper–Indium Doped Spinel FeCr2S4

Abstract

Magnetic properties of Fe_x(Cu_0.5In_0.5)_{1– x}Cr₂S₄ (x = 0.6–1) solid solutions between ferrimagnet FeCr₂S₄ (T_C = 170 K) and antiferromagnet Cu_0.5In_0.5Cr₂S₄ (T_N = 28 K) have been studied at temperatures in the range 4–300 K in permanent magnetic fields H = 7 960 A/m (100 Oe) and 3.58 × 10⁶ A/m (45 kOe). Magnetic transition temperatures have been determined. The divergence between ZFC and FC curves below the magnetic ordering temperature has been observed for all compositions. An Fe_0.7Cu_0.15In_0.15Cr₂S₄ sample has the highest coercive force. The interpretation of results is based on the account for the system’s coercivity and the domain wall pinning in the test samples by nonmagnetic copper and indium ions.