Ferromagnetic ordering and half-metallic state of Sn${}_{2}$Co${}_{3}$S${}_{2}$ with the shandite-type structure

Ferromagnetic ordering and half-metallic state of Sn $_{2}$ Co $_{3}$ S $_{2}$ with the shandite-type structure

W. Schnelle, A. Leithe-Jasper, H. Rosner, F. M. Schappacher, R. Pöttgen, F. Pielnhofer, and R. Weihrich

Phys. Rev. B 88, 144404 – Published 4 October 2013

Abstract

Single crystalline Sn $_{2}$ Co $_{3}$ S $_{2}$ with the shandite-type structure was investigated by magnetization, magnetoresistance, Hall effect, and heat capacity measurements and by $^{119}$ Sn Mößbauer spectroscopy. Sn $_{2}$ Co $_{3}$ S $_{2}$ orders ferromagnetically at 172 K with an easy-axis magnetization of $\approx$ 1 $μ_{B}$ along the hexagonal $c$ axis. The half-metallic ferromagnetic state is investigated by detailed band-structure calculations by density functional theory (DFT) methods. The magnetoresistance and the Hall effect as well as the DFT results show that ferromagnetic Sn $_{2}$ Co $_{3}$ S $_{2}$ is a compensated metal. The $^{119}$ Sn Mößbauer spectroscopic data confirm these findings. Large transferred hyperfine fields $B_{hf}$ up to 34.2 T are observed.