Spin-glass behavior in Co-based antiperovskite compound SnNCo_3

摘要

Spin-glass (SG) behavior is observed in the antiperovskite compound SnNCo3, which is confirmed by the relevant measurements and specific parameters [tau(0) = 1.397 x 10(-11) s, T-0 = 2.705 K, zv = 6.857 for chi '(T)]. The typical relaxation behavior of isothermal remanent magnetization (M-IRM) exhibits strong spin frustration in the system. The delta M plots illustrate the strong exchange coupling and demagnetizing interaction around the freezing temperature (T-f). Besides, the density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the antiferromagnetic ground has lower energy than that of the ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic states. Our calculations exhibit that the electrons of Co-3d play a dominant role around the Fermi energy (E-F), while Sn-5p and N-2p are mainly distributed from -8 eV to -5 eV and -5 eV to 5 eV, respectively. The interactions of Sn-Co and N-Co disclose the magnetic ground state and bond nature of the compound, which should be an evidential response to the SG behavior in SnNCo3.