Magnetic-field-induced transition from metastable spin glass to possible antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic phase separation in $Cd_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}Cr_2O_4$

TL;DR

This study investigates how applying a magnetic field induces a transition in $Cd_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}Cr_2O_4$ from a metastable spin-glass state to a phase separation possibly involving antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic regions, revealing complex magnetic behavior.

Contribution

It uncovers the magnetic phase evolution under field in $Cd_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}Cr_2O_4$, highlighting a transition from spin-glass to phase-separated states, which is a novel insight.

Findings

Metastable spin-glass phase at zero field

Possible AFM/FM phase separation above 0.5T

Pseudo reentrant spin-glass plateau at intermediate fields

Abstract

Using ac susceptibility, dc magnetization and heat capacity measurements, we have investigated the magnetic properties of $Cd_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}Cr_2O_4$. $Cd_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}Cr_2O_4$ has an extraordinary magnetic phase including a metastable spin-glass(SG) phase at zero field, a possible phase separation scenario of AFM/FM above $\sim 0.5T$ field, and at intermediate fields, an apparent pseudo reentrant spin-glass (RSG) plateau is observed. These phenomena are closely correlated with the pinning effect of the $Cu^{2+}$ sublattice on the frustrated lattice.