Synthesis,composition, and magnetic properties of the ferrimagnetic NdCu3−xMn4+xO12 perovskite-like phases

A magnetic oxide with composition close of NdCu₃Mn₄O₁₂ with a perovskite-related cubic structure ($\text{a ? 7.30}$ Å, space group Im3, Z = 2) has been synthesized by using either the high-pressure or the hydrothermal technique. The composition is strongly dependent on the synthesis conditions. A partial reduction of Mn⁴⁺ in the octahedral sites, resulting in a partial substitution of Cu²⁺ by Mn³⁺ in the Jahn-Teller sites, leads to the actual formula Nd(Cu²⁺_3?xMn³⁺_x)(Mn⁴⁺_3?xMn³⁺_1+x)O₁₂. For the compound synthesized at 650°C/2 kbar, the value of the substitution parameter x, as determined by neutron diffraction, is 0.32. For samples synthesized at higher temperatures, larger values of x are obtained. The compound is ferrimagnetic with Néel temperature of 390 K and a spontaneous magnetization of 93 emu/g at 4 K (52 emu/g at room temperature). For larger x values, magnetizations up to 118 emu/g at 4 K are obtained.