Carrier-induced transition from antiferromagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic metal in the layered phosphide EuZn${}_2$P${}_2$

Abstract

EuZn${}_2$P${}_2$ was reported to be an insulating antiferromagnet with $T_{\mathrm{N}}$ of 23.5 K. In this study, single crystals of EuZn${}_2$P${}_2$ exhibiting metallic behavior and a ferromagnetic order of 72 K ($T_{\mathrm{C}}$) are successfully synthesized via a salt flux method. The presence of hole carriers induced by the Eu vacancies in the lattice is found to be crucial for the drastic changes in magnetism and electrical transport. The carriers mediate the interlayer ferromagnetic interaction, and the coupling strength is directly related to $T_{\mathrm{C}}$, as evidenced by the linear dependence of $T_{\mathrm{C}}$ and the fitted Curie-Weiss temperatures on the Eu-layer distances for ferromagnetic Eu$M_2{X}_2$ ($M$ = Zn, Cd; $X$ = P, As). The ferromagnetic EuZn${}_2$P${}_2$ shows conspicuous negative magnetoresistance (MR) near $T_{\mathrm{C}}$, owing to strong magnetic scattering. The MR behavior is consistent with the Majumdar-Littlewood model, indicating that the MR can be enhanced by decreasing the carrier density. Our findings suggest that Eu$M_2{X}_2$ has highly tunable magnetism and charge transport, making it a promising material family for potential applications in spintronics.

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• Recent advances in understanding and manipulating magnetic and electronic properties of Eu$M_2{X}_2$ ($M$ = Zn, Cd; $X$ = P, As)
• Interplay of magnetic ordering and charge transport in a distorted ScAl${}_3$C${}_3$-type GdZn${}_3$As${}_3$
• Interplay of short-range bond order and A-type antiferromagnetic order in metallic triangular lattice GdZn${}_3$P${}_3$
• Engineering a Correlated Narrow-Gap Semiconductor: Effects of Ga Substitution in EuZn${}_2$P${}_2$
• Design, synthesis, and physical properties of the intergrowth compound Eu${}_2$CuZn${}_2$As${}_3$
• Temperature Dependent Evolution of the Electronic Structure in EuZn2As2 across the Neel Transition