Negative and anomalous T-dependent magnetization trend in CoCr2O4 nanoparticles

Abstract

We studied the temperature dependent magnetic properties of cobalt chromite (CoCr2O4) nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction revealed the cubic spinel structure of the nanoparticles and average crystallite size was about 42 nm. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of single phase spinel structure. ZFC/FC curves revealed a paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FiM) transition at TC = 100 K with conical spiral state at TS = 27 K and lock-in state at TL = 13 K. Negative magnetization is observed in the ZFC curve under 50 Oe applied field, which gets suppressed upon the application of higher field. The TC was shifted towards higher temperature with the application of higher field, while TS and TL remain unaffected. M-H loops showed FiM behavior below 100 K and nearly PM at TC = 100 K. Below 75 K, an abnormal decrease in MS is observed down to 5 K, which may be due to presence of stiffed/strong conical spin spiral and lock in states at low temperatures. Modified Kneller's law showed a good fit for temperature dependent Hc at higher temperature and deviated at low temperature (<25 K) which was attributed to frozen disordered surface spins. Nanoparticles showed slow spin relaxation in both ZFC and FC protocols at 5 K, which signifies the presence of spin-glass like behavior at low temperatures. Both curves were fitted with stretched exponential law and the value of β lies in the spin-glass regime. In summary, CoCr2O4 nanoparticles showed anomalous decrease of MS with decreasing temperature, negative magnetization at low field and rather stiffed/strong conical spin spiral and lock-in states in combination with spin-glass behavior at the low temperatures.