Crystal structure and magnetic properties and Zn substitution effects on the spin-chain compound Sr3Co2O6

Abstract The effects of substituting Co on the spin-chain compound Sr 3 Co 2 O 6 with Zn were investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, isothermal magnetization, and specific heat measurements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the successful substitution of Co in Sr 3 Co 2 O 6 with Zn. The substitution was carried out by a method involving high pressures and temperatures to obtain Sr 3 CoZnO 6 , which crystalized into a K 4 CdCl 6 -derived rhombohedral structure with a space group of R -3 c , similar to the host compound. With the Zn substitution, the Ising-type magnetic anisotropy of the host compound remarkably reduced; the newly formed Sr 3 CoZnO 6 became magnetically isotropic with Heisenberg-type characteristics. This could probably be ascribed to the establishment of a different interaction pathway, –Co 4+ ( S =1/2)–O–Zn 2+ ( S =0)–O–Co 4+ ( S =1/2)–. Details of the magnetic properties of Zn substituted Sr 3 Co 2 O 6 were reported.