Suppressed antiferromagnetic ordering and enhanced electrical conduction in doped iridate Sr2−xPrxIrO4

Abstract

Abstract Sr2IrO4 has been shown to exhibit a novel J eff = 1/2 Mott spin–orbit insulating state with antiferromagnetic ordering. In the present investigation, the effects of Pr substitution at Sr-site on structural, magnetic and electrical properties are studied in Sr2IrO4. Pr-doped samples still retain the insulating behavior, but with the increase of Pr doping concentration, the resistivity decreases. The magnetic properties show that long-range antiferromagnetic order is collapsed when the Pr doping content increases up to 20%, which may results from a competition between the AFM (Ir 5d electrons) and ferromagnetic (Pr 4 f electrons) coupling. In addition, Pr doping induces a spin glasslike state at low temperatures.