Electrical,magnetic, and EPR studies of the quaternary chalcogenides Cu2AIIBIVX4 prepared by iodine transport

Electrical, magnetic, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements have been made on crystals and powders of several quaternary chalcogenides of the type Cu₂A^IIB^IVX₄, where A^II = Zn, Mn, Fe, or Co, B^IV = Si, Ge, or Sn, and X = S or Se. The electrical properties of these compounds are extrinsic, but their magnetic properties do not appear to be affected by impurities. The magnetic moments of the Cu₂MnBX₄ compounds decrease with increasing covalency of the MnX bond, and those of Cu₂FeGeS₄ and Cu₂CoGeS₄ reflect an orbital contribution to the moment. Both the Weiss constants and magnetic ordering temperatures in these compounds show an evolution from antiferromagnetism to ferromagnetism with increasing separation between the moments. Magnetic measurements on single crystals of Cu₂MnGeS₄, Cu₂CoGeS₄, and Cu₂FeGeS₄ indicate that only the latter is anisotropic. EPR measurements on crystals and powders of Cu₂ZnGeS₄ doped nominally with 0.1% Mn reveal that Mn²⁺ experiences an axial distortion and that the bond ionicity is the same as in ZnS.