Ambient- and high-pressure studies of structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of single-crystal EuZn2P2

Abstract

A thorough study of EuZn2P2 single crystals, which were grown from Sn flux, was performed using both bulk (heat capacity, ac susceptibility, dc magnetization, electrical resistivitivity, magnetoresistance) and microscopic (M & ouml;ssbauer spectroscopy) techniques. Electrical resistance and magnetic susceptibility were measured also under high pressure conditions (up to 19 and 9.5 GPa, respectively). Further insight into electronic properties and phonons is provided by ab initio calculations. The results indicate that EuZn2P2 is an antiferromagnet with strong Eu-Eu exchange coupling of ferromagnetic type within the basal plane and weaker antiferromagnetic interaction along the c axis. The Eu magnetic moments are tilted from the basal plane. Hydrostatic pressure strongly affects both magnetic (increase of the N & eacute;el temperature) and electronic (suppression of the band gap and semimetallic behavior) properties, indicating a strong interplay of structure with magnetic and electronic degrees of freedom.