Magnetic and specific heat studies of the frustrated Er2Mn2O7 compound

• Published in: Journal of rare earths Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 54 - 59
• Main Authors: Amor, N. Ben, Bejar, M., Dhahri, E., Valente, M.A., Lachkar, P., Hlil, E.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Crossovers; Magnetic fields; magnetic frustration; magnetic phase transition; Magnetic properties; Magnetization; Materials Science; Physics; PPMS; Rare earth compounds; Rare earth metals; rare earths; Scanning electron microscopy; Specific heat; X-射线衍射; 反铁磁性; 复合; 扫描电子显微镜; 晶体结构; 比热; 磁场测量; magnetic frustration; magnetic phase transition; specific heat; rare earths
• ISSN: 1002-0721; 2509-4963
• DOI: 10.1016/S1002-0721(12)60234-8

A new ErzMn207 compound was synthesized by the ceramic method and its crystal structure was characterized LJsing powder X-ray diffraction （XRD） and observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The magnetic properties were investigated using a BS2 magnetometer and the heat capacity was studied using a quantum design （PPMS）. The structural study revealed that this compound was monophasic and crystallized in the monoclinic system with the P2/M space group. Magnetization measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 1.8-200 K under an applied magnetic field of 0.05 T. A crossover from a room temperature para- magnetic phase to an antiferromagnetic one at low temperature was detected from the magnetic study. The magnetic susceptibility, in the paramagnetic region above 40 K, was found to present a simple Curie-Weiss type behavior. From the specific heat （G,） measurements in magnetic fields up to 5 T, we noted the presence of a wide peak characteristic of a second order magneto-structural transition.