Magnetic, electronic transport and magneto-transport behaviors of CoxFe1-xMnP compounds

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 429; no. 1-2; pp. 29 - 33
• Main Authors: SUN, N. K, LI, Y. B, LI, D, ZHANG, Q, DU, J, XIONG, D. K, ZHANG, W. S, MA, S, LIU, J. J, ZHANG, Z. D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier 01.02.2007
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Exact sciences and technology; Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects; Magnetic phase boundaries (including magnetic transitions, metamagnetism, etc.); Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetically ordered materials: other intrinsic properties; Physics; External fields; Phosphides; Metal-insulator transition; Spin fluctuations; Magnetic field effects; Ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic transitions; Magnetic transitions; Critical fluctuations; Antiferromagnetic; Anderson transition; Magnetoresistance; Temperature effects; Neel temperature; 71.20.Lp; 71.30+h; 75.47.De; 75.50.Ee; Magnetoresistance
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2006.04.001

Magnetic, electronic transport and magneto-transport behaviors of CoxFe1-xMnP (0.40 < =x < =0.75) compounds have been investigated systematically. Co0.4Fe0.6MnP is antiferromagnetic below its Neel temperature of 310K, while an anomalous increase of resistivity occurs with decreasing the temperature from 350 to 190K, which is attributed to the effect of critical spin fluctuation on resistivity. Increasing Co concentration gives rise to dramatic changes of magnetic, electronic transport and magneto-transport behaviors. With increasing temperature, a magnetic phase transition from an antiferromagnetic state to a ferromagnetic one takes place at about 280, 218 and 180K for Co0.55Fe0.45MnP, Co0.65Fe0.35MnP and Co0.75Fe0.25MnP, respectively. Moreover, the compounds experience a metal-insulator transition at 26, 29, 35 and 45K, respectively, for x=0.4,0.5,0.65 and 0.75. Maximum magnetoresistance ratios of -8.1%, -4.7% and -2.9% are observed in the Co0.75Fe0.25MnP, Co0.65Fe0.35MnP and Co0.55Fe0.45MnP compounds at an external magnetic field of 5T. The mechanisms of magnetoresistance behaviors are interpreted in terms of the suppression of spin fluctuations in the antiferromagnets by the applied fields.