Crystal Growth and Physical Properties of Hybrid CoSn-YCo6Ge6 Structure Type Ln x Co3(Ge1-y Sn y )3 (Ln = Y, Gd)

There is an ongoing interest in kagome materials because they offer tunable platforms at the intersection of magnetism and electron correlation. Herein, we examine single crystals of new kagome materials, Ln(x)Co(3)(Ge1-ySny)(3) (Ln = Y, Gd; y = 0.11, 0.133), which were produced using the Sn flux-growth method. Unlike many of the related chemical analogues with the LnM(6)X(6) formula (M = transition metal and X = Ge, Sn), the Y and Gd analogues crystallize in a hybrid YCo6Ge6/CoSn structure, with Sn substitution. While the Y analogue displays temperature-independent paramagnetism, magnetic measurements of the Gd analogue reveal a magnetic moment of 8.48 mu(B), indicating a contribution from both Gd and Co. Through anisotropic magnetic measurements, the direction of Co-magnetism can be inferred to be in plane with the kagome net, as the Co contribution is only along H//a. Crystal growth and structure determination of YxCo3(Ge,Sn)(3) and GdxCo3(Ge,Sn)(3), two new hybrid kagome materials of the CoSn and YCo6Ge6 structure types. Magnetic properties, heat capacity, and resistivity on single crystals are reported.

Automated summary

There is a growing interest in kagome materials, which provide tunable platforms combining magnetism and electron correlation. In this study, new kagome materials Ln(x)Co(3)(Ge1-ySny)(3) (Ln = Y, Gd; y = 0.11, 0.133) were examined using the Sn flux-growth method. The Y and Gd analogues have a hybrid YCo6Ge6/CoSn structure with Sn substitution. The Gd analogue displays a magnetic moment of 8.48 mu(B), indicating contributions from both Gd and Co, while the Y analogue exhibits temperature-independent paramagnetism. Anisotropic magnetic measurements suggest that the Co magnetism is in plane with the kagome net.