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The effects of chromium substitution on the electronic and magnetic properties of CuFeO2

PINAR EZIRCAN1, M. SELIM ASLAN2, MUSTAFA AKYOL3, HIDETOSHI MIYAZAKI4, O. MURAT OZKENDIR5,* , AHMET EKICIBIL2, HAKAN OZTURK1

Affiliation

  1. Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, 80000, Osmaniye, Turkey
  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana, Turkey
  4. Department of Physical Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, 466-8555 Nagoya, Japan
  5. Department of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Tarsus University, 33400, Tarsus, Turkey

Abstract

We present a comprehensive investigation of chromium-substituted delafossite CuFe₁₋ₓCrₓO₂ using synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, and physical property measurements (10-300 K). The studied pristine CuFeO₂ exhibits a stable dual-phase structure comprising dominant trigonal-rhombohedral (R-3m, 87.7 wt%) and minor hexagonal (P6₃/mmc, 12.3 wt%) polymorphs, which persists throughout chromium substitution. Structural analysis reveals chromium incorporation nucleates a secondary hexagonal CuCrO₂ phase (P6₃/mmc) while preserving the host matrix's oxygen stoichiometry, attributable to stronger Fe-O versus Cr-O bonding. XAFS confirms maintained Fe³⁺ coordination geometry and minimal framework disruption despite Cr substitution. Remarkably, all substituted samples display soft ferromagnetism throughout 10-300 K, contrasting with pure CuFeO₂'s antiferromagnetic ordering below 11-14 K. This emergent ferromagnetism originates from competing exchange interactions, where introduced ferromagnetic Cr³⁺-O-Cr³⁺ pathways (J ≈ +15.4 K) coexist with native antiferromagnetic Fe³⁺-O-Fe³⁺ couplings (J ≈-8.2 K). The findings demonstrate chromium's dual role as both structural stabilizer and magnetic modifier in delafossite oxides..

Keywords

Oxides, Magnetic materials, XAFS, PPMS.

Submitted at: Oct. 7, 2024
Accepted at: June 4, 2025

Citation

PINAR EZIRCAN, M. SELIM ASLAN, MUSTAFA AKYOL, HIDETOSHI MIYAZAKI, O. MURAT OZKENDIR, AHMET EKICIBIL, HAKAN OZTURK, The effects of chromium substitution on the electronic and magnetic properties of CuFeO2, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 27, Iss. 5-6, pp. 271-280 (2025)