Cluster spin-glass ground state in quasi-one-dimensionalKCr3As3

Abstract

We report structural and physical properties of a new quasi-one-dimensional Cr-based compound, ${\mathrm{KCr}}_3{\mathrm{As}}_3$, which is prepared by potassium deintercalation from the superconductive ${\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_3{\mathrm{As}}_3$. ${\mathrm{KCr}}_3{\mathrm{As}}_3$ adopts the ${\mathrm{TlFe}}_3{\mathrm{Te}}_3$-type structure with space group $P{6}_3/m$ (No. 176). The high-temperature magnetic susceptibility obeys the Curie-Weiss law with an effective magnetic moment of 0.68 ${\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}$/Cr. Below 56 K the susceptibility deviates from the high-temperature Curie-Weiss behavior, coinciding with the rapid increase in resistivity, which suggests formation of spin clusters. The short-range spin correlations are also supported by the specific-heat data. The title material does not exhibit bulk superconductivity; instead, it shows a cluster spin-glass state below $\sim 5$ K.