A triple potential model for the structural transition in Cu2Mo6S8

A simple model for the structural phase transition in Cu₂Mo₆S₈ is proposed. The model uses a triple well potential for copper atoms. In the molecular field approximation a first order transition of the order—disorder type involving the rearrangement of the copper atoms is obtained.     

Superconductivity in the RexMo6S8

The rare earth molybdenum sulfides RE_xMo₆S₈ (RE = rare earth) have been synthesized and are found to be superconducting with a few exceptions. This result, which is surprising in view of the high concentration of magnetic ions, is correlated with the particular structure of these compounds based on on units of Mo₆S₈.     

Superconducting thin films of MxMo6S8 type

Thin films of M_xMo₆S₈, where M=Pb, Sn, Sn-Al and Cu, known as the Chevrel phases have been prepared by d.c. getter sputtering method and the optimal conditions of their preparation have been determined. The transition temperatures reached: 10.16, 13.66, 11.74 and 12.86 K for thin films with M=Cu, Sn, Sn-Al and Pb respectively. The highest critical fields H_c²(0) of 428 kG were obtained for Pb compounds.     

Synthesis and physical properties of new superconducting Chevrel phases HgxMo6S8

New ternary molybdenum chalcogenides Hg_xMo₆S₈ (0 < x < 1) have been synthesized and investigated for their structural, magnetic, and superconducting behavior. These new phases prepared at low temperature by reaction of mercury with Mo₆S₈ (obtained from oxidation of Cu₂Mo₆S₈ by iodine) have been characterized by x-ray diffraction, static Faraday susceptibility, and superconducting transition temperature studies. HgMo₆S₈ crystallizes in the rhombohedral space group $\text{R}\text{3 (}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{= 6.51}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, α}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{= 92.53°)}$, has a paramagnetic, temperature dependent susceptibility, and superconducts at 8.1K. As the mercury content decreases, a continuous decrease in T_c from 8.1K to 1.7K for x=0 (Mo₆S₈) is observed.     

Infrared studies of lithium intercalation in the FePS3 and NiPS3 layer-type compounds

Infrared spectra (700-30 cm^-1) of several lithium intercalates (chemically prepared) Li_xMPS₃, with M=Fe, Ni and 0<x<1.5, have been recorded and compared with those known for the corresponding host lattices. These lithium intercalates are mainly characterized by new absorption bands at 336 cm^-1 and 310 cm^-1 for the iron and nickel compounds, respectively. These bands assigned to lithium vibrations increase progressively with lithium content : it is concluded that Li⁺ ions are more likely to occupy the 2d and 4h “octahedral” sites in the gaps. In addition, the spectra of the nickel derivatives reveal some geometric distortion within the layers and a progressive strengthening of the Ni-S interactions. These results are correlated to the best energy yields obtained in NiPS₃/lithium batteries.     

Preparation and mass transport properties of Li2.3Mo6S7.7

Unsuccessful attempts were made to prepare Li_xMo₆S_7.7 by direct ionic exchange of Cu₂Mo₆S_7.7 using aqueous, acetontrille, and molten salt solvents. Li_2.3Mo₆S_7.7 was eventually prepared by lithiation of Mo₆S₈ using n-butyl lithium reagent. The mass transport properties of hot-pressed samples were measured using a four-point dc technique and the following values at 415°C for the lithium ionic conductivity, .4×10⁻⁴ (ohms cm⁻¹) and lithium chemical diffusion coefficient 3.5×10⁻⁷ cm²/s, were derived. A possible explanation for the relatively low lithium ion mobility in Li_2.3Mo₆S_7.7 is discussed.     

Superconductivity and magnetic order in the pseudoternary system Ho1−xEuxMo6S8

Ac susceptibility, resistance and magnetization experiments on the pseudoternary system, Ho_1?xEu_xMo₆S₈ confirm that there exist three distinct domains of concentration between x=0 and 1 with respect to the interplay of superconductivity and magnetism.     

Pressure induced superconductivity in BaMo6S8

The resistance and a.c. magnetic susceptibility of BaMo₆S₈ have been measured under pressure. A resistance-anomaly, indicative of the reported structural transformation at ～ 145 K, was observed. Non-bulk superconductivity with a pressure dependent signal size was induced by a quasi-hydrostatic pressure ? 15 kbar but not a hydrostatic pressure up to 18 kbar down to 1.2 K.     

Superconductivity of the graphite intercalation compounds KHgC8 and RbHgC8

Superconductivity was observed in the graphite intercalation compounds, KHgC₈ and RbHgC₈, using an AC induction technique. The transition temperatures were 1.90K and 1.44K for KHgC₈ and RbHgC₈ respectively. A full Meissner effect was observed for KHgC₈ with a temperature dependant anisotropy in critical field with a value of 25 ± 5 at T_c.     

Studies of lithium intercalation in 3R-WS2

The lithium intercalation into the layered dichalcogenide 3R-WS₂ has been investigated by electrochemical reduction and by chemical reaction in n-butyl lithium solution. Essential results are (a) a charge transfer of nearly 0.6e⁻/W in Li_xWS₂, (b) a small increase of the c-axis parameter of about 0.6%, and (c) a high mobility of the Li⁺-ions. The chemical diffusion coefficient of Li⁺-ions is estimated to be 8 × 10⁻⁹ cm² s⁻¹ in the composition range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25. The appearance of a structural transformation from 3R-WS₂ to 2H-Li_xWS₂ is interpreted on grounds of instabilities in the interlayer structure.     

Low-temperature heat capacity and ac magnetic susceptivility of the re-entrant ferromagnetic superconductor Ho1.2Mo6S8

Thermal hysteresis in the ac magnetic susceptibility and a spike-shaped anomaly in the heat capacity, superimposed on a feature due to ferromagnetic ordering, have been observed at the coupled superconducting to normal-ferromagnetic transition in Ho_1.2Mo₆S₈.     

Low temperature structural distortion in the high Tc Chevrel-phase superconductors PbMo6S8 and SnMo6S8

High-resolution powder neutron diffraction data reveal that, at temperatures below 100 K, oxygen-free, high-T_c samples of PbMo₆S₈ and SnMo₆S₈ exhibit a small structural distortion from the R$\text{3}$ rhombohedral space group. The data cannot be refined in a simple P$\text{1}$ triclinic space group as previously reported for EuMo₆S₈ and BaMo₆S₈. Thus, a supercell ordering is suggested.     

Stoichiometry of the chevrel phase SnMo6S8

The phase field of the Chevrel phase Sn_xMo_yS₈ was investigated by metallographic methods. A shift of the phase field away from the “ideal” compound SnMo₆S₈ towards the molybdenum-rich side of the phase diagram was observed. The degree of off-stoichiometry could not yet be determined, however, the c/a ratio of the hexagonal lattice parameters can be used to characterize the samples. Measurements of the superconducting transition temperature indicate two superconducting “phases”, which differ in the c/a ratio of the lattice parameters. While phase A showed a linear variation of T^a_c with c/a in the region from 11.0 to 13.0 K phase B was independent of the c/a ratio with a T^b_c = 10.8 ± 0.2 K.     

Critical currents of LaMo6S8 thin films

The thin films of LaMo₆S₈ were prepared by d.c. getter sputtering method. Critical current have been measured vs applied magnetic field B_⊥ up to 8 T at the temperature ranged from 1.7 to 4.2 K. The highest critical current density reached was J_c = 1.7 × 10⁷ Am^?2 at B = 0 and T = 1.7 K. Based on the measurements performed, it was possible to indicate that depending on the heat treatment applied, the pinning forces created in the LaMo₆S₈ thin films obey the scaling law.     

Low temperature magnetization measurements on heavy rare earth molybdenum sulfides, (RE)1.2Mo6S8

Magnetization measurements on the heavy rare earth molybdenum sulfides, (RE)_1.2Mo₆S₈ (RE = Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho) were performed to further clarify the natures of their magnetic orders found in our recent resistivity and ac susceptibility measurements below 1 K. The variations of their magnetic and superconducting transition temperatures along the series of the rare earth ions in the Periodic Table are interpreted by means of available theories.     

Lattice instability in the non-superconducting compound EuMo6S8

We have performed electrical resistivity and specific heat measurements on bulk Eu_1.1Mo₆S₈ together with low-temperature X-ray powder diffractometry. These investigations revealed a structural phase transition (occuring at 109 K) from the room-temperature rhombohedral structure to a low-temperature triclinic distorted structure in which the compound exhibits a non-metallic behavior.     

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation of V in TIxV5S8 and TIxV6S8

Temperature dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate of ⁵¹V has been studied in metallic vanadium sulfides with quasi-one-dimensional structures. The ternary sulfide TI_0.54V₅S₈ is suggested to be an exchange-enhanced Pauli-parammagnet with antiferromagnetic correlation.     

Coulometric titration of copper in CuxMo6S8−y(0⩽y⩽0.4) with solid Cu-electrolyte Rb4Cu16I7Cl13

In order to determine the copper content x of copper Chevrel compound Cu_xMo₆S_8?y(0?y?0.4) as a function of copper activity a_Cu and sulfur deficit y, a solid state electrochemical cell, Cu/Rb₄Cu₁₆I₇Cl₁₃/Cu_xMo₆S_8?y/Pt, was constructed and coulometric titration studies were made at 400 K. For the evaluation of the coulometric titration data, measurements were made on the electronic conductivity of copper-ion conductor Rb₄Cu₁₆I₇Cl₁₃. Also, a brief investigation was made on the condition of formation of single phase Chevrel Cu_xMo₆S_8?y with varying x and y at 1000°C. The structural change of Cu_xMo₆S_8?y with a change in x and y was studied by the X-ray diffraction method. It was found that x for constant a_Cu decreases with increasing y. The maximum value x_max of x in Cu_xMo₆S_8?y in equilibrium with metallic copper was found to be expressed by $\text{x}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}\text{=-(}\text{10}\text{3}\text{)y+5}$. In the region of y<0.3, x_max exceeded 4, contrary to a presupposition that x_max is less than 4. X-ray analysis revealed that most of the copper Chevrel compounds denoted by Cu_xMo₆S₈ so far were sulfur deficient ones with y?0.4. The importance of sulfur deficit on the properties of the copper Chevrel compound was emphasized.     

Chevrel相MxMo6S8化合物电荷转移和Mo原子上4d轨道能级的分裂

本文用配位场方法导出了Chevrel相M_xMo₆S₈化合物中M和Mo₆S₈原子簇间电荷转移和Mo原子上4d轨道能级分裂的解析关系。结合PbMo₆S₈的反射光谱,求得Mo₆S₈原子簇至Pb的电子转移数为1.18,和以前一般文献上认为的两个电子从Pb转移至Mo₆S₈不同。Mo₆上的4d电子数为18.8。 关键词：     

Spin structure and magnetic anisotropy of Cr5S6 and rhombohedral Cr2S3

The magnetic properties of single crystals of rhombohedral Cr₂S₃ have been measured. The data indicate a preferred orientation of the spins of the Cr atoms in a plane perpendicular to the trigonal axis. New neutron diffraction data for powdered samples which confirm this conclusion are presented.