Electric, magnetic, and photomagnetic properties of the amorphous metallic spin-glass Ni3(SbTe3)2

Abstract

A new material, Ni₃(SbTe₃)₂, is prepared using a rapid precipitation metathesis reaction between the Zintl material K₃SbTe₃ and NiBr₂ in solution. The d.c. specific resistivity of this material is in the region expected for metallic conductors (ρ= 5.04 × 10^–4Ω cm). The d. c. magnetic susceptibility of Ni₃(SbTe₃)₂ is reported over the 2.2–300 K temperature region and the material is characterized as a spin-glass with a freezing temperature of ca. 4.0 K. Magnetization data are also reported as both thermal remanent magnetization and isothermal remanent magnetization as a function of magnetizing field and temperature. At a magnetizing field of 1.0 kG and a temperature of 2.2 K, the frozen spin-glass exhibits a photomagnetic response consistent with a disruption of the spin-glass state that results from a series of pulses of ultraviolet radiation.