T. Elkhouni

Structural and Magnetic Properties of Substituted Delafossite-Type Oxides CuCr 1−x Sc x O 2

This work describes the scandium doping effect on the structural and magnetic properties of delafossite-type oxides CuCr1 － xScxO2. The lattice parameters were found to vary according to Vegard’s low. A reflection broadening is observed, that is ascribed to local lattice distortion due to the ionic radius difference between Cr3+ and the non-magnetic dopants. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the dominant interactions are antiferromagnetic (AFM) but that doping induces significant changes. The coupling between the local spins at the Cr sites and doped metal transition may enhance spin fluctuations at the Cr sites, which break the residual magnetic degeneracy as fluctuation-induced symmetry breaking in a highly magnetic degenerate ground state manifold of some frustrated systems.