Magnetic properties and crystal structure of solid-solution Cu2MnxFe1-xSnS4 chalcogenides with stannite-type structure

Abstract

New solid solutions Cu2MnxFe1-xSnS4 were prepared by direct combination of the corresponding elements at 850°C. The crystal structure of Cu2Mn0.4Fe0.6SnS4 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This phase is described in the space group I4-2m where each cation is tetrahedrally coordinated to four sulfur anions in a sphalerite-like arrangement. The XRD patterns of the solid solutions Cu2MnxFe1-xSnS4 were fully indexed in the space group I4-2m and the values of the cell parameter for all phases obey the usual linear Vegard behavior. A progressive evolution of the magnetic moment in the paramagnetic state is observed when increasing the content of manganese. The negative values of the Curie-Weiss constant, θ, indicate an antiferromagnetic (AF) behavior with AF interactions, weaker by more than one order of magnitude compared to other diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) with zinc-blende or wurzite crystal structure. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.