Antiferro- and Meta-magnetism in the S=7/2 Hollandite Analog EuGa2Sb2

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis and magnetic characterization of EuGa2Sb2, revealing antiferromagnetic order, anisotropic magnetic behavior, and metamagnetism, with findings consistent with Eu^2+ ions and negligible effects from non-symmorphic symmetries.

Contribution

First detailed magnetic analysis of EuGa2Sb2, highlighting its antiferromagnetic order and anisotropic properties, with insights into the role of non-symmorphic symmetries.

Findings

Antiferromagnetic transition at 8 K.

Field-induced suppression of anisotropy at 0.5 T.

Magnetic entropy close to theoretical value for Eu^{2+}.

Abstract

Recent work analyzing the impact of non-symmorphic symmetries on electronic states has given rise to the discovery of multiple types of topological matter. Here we report the single-crystal synthesis and magnetic properties of EuGa2Sb2, an Eu-based antiferromagnet structurally consisting of pseudo-1D chains of Eu ions related by a non-symmorphic glide plane. We find the onset of antiferromagnetic order at TN = 8 K. Above TN the magnetic susceptibility is isotropic. Curie-Weiss analysis suggests competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions, with peff = 8.1 muB as expected for 4f7 J = S = 7/2 Eu^2+ ions. Below TN and at low applied magnetic fields, an anisotropy develops linearly, reaching chi perpendicular over chi parallel =6 at T = 2 K. There is concomitant metamagnetic behavior along with chi parallel, with a magnetic field of mu0 H=0.5 T sufficient to suppress the anisotropy. Independent of crystal orientation, there is a continuous evolution to a field polarized paramagnetic state with M=7 muB/Eu^2+ cation at mu0 H=2 T as T approaches 0 K. Specific heat measurements show a recovered magnetic entropy of dSmag=16.4 J/mol.K from T near 0 K to T = TN, close to the expected value of Rln(8) for an S = 7/2 ion, indicating negligible low dimensional spin fluctuations above TN. We find no evidence of unusual behaviors arising either from the dimensionality or the presence of the non-symmorphic symmetries.