The main goal of this fundamental research project was growth of high quality bulk single crystals of the ferimagnetic spinel FeCr2S4. The research aimed to elucidate the influence of the type and amount of transport agent on the magnetic properties, orbital ordering, structural and electronic properties of obtained single crystals.

The goals of the project:

• using conventional solid state method of synthesis the stoichiometric polycrystals of ferimagnetic FeCr2S4 will be prepared;
• using the chemical transport reaction method the perfect single crystals of the FeCr2S4 compound will be grown;
• using X-ray diffraction the chemical composition will be analyzed and the structural parameters will be determined;
• magnetic properties will be measured using SQUID magnetometry;
• galvanomagnetic properties will be measured in order to elucidate the coupling between the charge carriers and magnetic moments;
• the correlation between the magnetic and structural properties of the spinel single crystals will be investigated by the ultrasound measurements;
• the influence of the type and amount of the transport agent on physical properties will be analyzed.

The results are important for physical systems with strong electronic correlations, and for applications due to application potential of spinel materials to design spintronic and magneto-optical devices.

Project team:

• Stanislav Belevskii, Ph.D., head,
• Viorel Felea, Ph.D.,
• Lilian Prodan,
• Dorina Croitori,
• Nicolai Curmei.