Large negative magnetoresistance in thiospinel CuCrZrS4

TL;DR

This paper reports large negative magnetoresistance in the ferromagnetic thiospinel CuCrZrS4, with resistivity behavior explained by variable range hopping and strong electron-electron interactions, and discusses its possible mechanisms.

Contribution

The study presents the observation of significant negative magnetoresistance in CuCrZrS4 and analyzes its temperature and magnetic field dependence, highlighting a potential mechanism.

Findings

Magnetoresistance ratio reaches 80 at 16 K under 90 kOe.

Resistivity follows an exponential form with temperature, indicating variable range hopping.

The characteristic temperature decreases with increasing magnetic field.

Abstract

We report on large negative magnetoresistance observed in ferromagnetic thiospinel compound CuCrZrS$_{4}$. Electrical resistivity increased with decreasing temperature according to the form proportional to $\textrm{exp}(T_{0}/T)^{1/2} $, derived from variable range hopping with strong electron-electron interaction. Resistivity under magnetic fields was expressed by the same form with the characteristic temperature T0 decreasing with increasing magnetic field. Magnetoresistance ratio $\rho (T,0)/\rho(T,H)$ is 1.5 at 100 K for H=90 kOe and increases divergently with decreasing temperature reaching 80 at 16 K. Results of magnetization measurements are also presented. Possible mechanism of the large magnetoresistance is discussed.