Proximity effect between Cu2(OH)3Cl and copper metal

Abstract

Abstract The change in the spin state of a normal metal in contact with a highly frustrated antiferromagnetic insulator is shown experimentally. Dicopper chloride trihydroxide [Cu2(OH)3Cl] was used as the antiferromagnetic insulator and Copper (Cu) as the normal metal. By the application of a voltage, a conductive path of copper immersed in an antiferromagnetic insulator was created. Cu2(OH)3Cl is a highly insulating antiferromagnet with magnetic transitions at TN1 ~ 18 K and TN2 ~ 6.4 K. Thus, the electric current must flow in the copper path. One can clearly observe a change in resistance as a function of copper temperature that is related to a change in the ordering of the copper spins that was induced by the antiferromagnetic transitions of Cu2(OH)3Cl due to the proximity effect of this layer.