Abstract
The crystalline structures and magnetic and thermodynamic properties of a Gd4Ga2O9 single crystal grown with the optical floating zone technique have been investigated. Gd4Ga2O9 crystallizes in a monoclinic structure with the space group P21/c at room temperature. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements along the three crystallographic axes reveal a paramagnetic (PM) behavior between 2 and 300 K. A Curie–Weiss (CW) law fit was carried out and the CW temperature θCW and magnetic frustration parameter f were calculated; these suggest antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions between Gd3+ spins and a strong magnetic frustration. The field dependence of the magnetization at 2 K further confirms the magnetic frustration characteristics. A distinct λ-shaped peak at 1.4 K in the heat capacity curves suggests a transition from the PM to AFM phase. The magnetic entropy is contributed solely by Gd3+ ions.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Applied Basic Research Foundation of Yunnan Province
Macau University of Science and Technology Foundation
Universidade de Macau
Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality
Yunnan Local Colleges Applied Basic Research Projects of Yunnan Province
Publisher
International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)
Subject
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
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