Electrical and Magnetic Properties of the Chromium Sulfide with Deviation from Stoichiometric Composition Cr₂S₃

Abstract

On assuming the random distribution of Cr²⁺ ions and occupation of intrinsic Cr-vacancy sites, the relation between the equilibrium sulfur pressure P_S2 and the deviation from the stoichiometric composition Cr₂S₃ was calculated and was confirmed experimentally. The magnetic susceptibility and the electrical resistivity were measured on single crystals with the controlled deviation, prepared by equilibrating at 1270 K as-grown single crystal with various sulfur pressures.
The magnetization of Cr₂S₃ below Néel temperature may originate from the spin alignment with larger component perpendicular to c-axis and depends sensitively on the deviation from the stoichiometric composition. Electrical conductivity was explained by the hopping mechanism between Cr³⁺ and Cr²⁺ ions.