Magnetic and calorimetric studies ofLi(V1−xMx)2O4(M=Cr,Ti) spinel compounds

Abstract

Specific heat and dc magnetization measurements have been performed on $\mathrm{Li}({\mathrm{V}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{M}_{x}{)}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ $(M=\mathrm{Cr}$ and Ti) with a systematic increase of the Cr (Ti) content x up to 0.3 (0.1). Both systems with $M=\mathrm{Cr}$ and Ti are found to exhibit spin-glass order below ${T}_{\mathrm{g}}=2.5--8\mathrm{K}$ for $x>~0.1$ and no magnetic order above 2 K for $x<~0.07.$ The occurrence of spin-glass order for $x>~0.1$ is attributable to the partially resolved spin frustration geometrically inherent in the V sublattice and the similarities between ${\mathrm{LiV}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.95}{\mathrm{Sc}}_{0.05}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{2}$ should be noted, both of which are geometrically frustrated, nearly spin-glass, and characterized by the absence of magnetic order with heavy fermion behavior.