Single crystal growth and characterization of kagome-lattice shandites Co3Sn2 _xInxS2

Single crystals of the shandite-type half metallic ferromagnet Co3Sn2S2, and its In-substituted compounds, Co3Sn2-xInxS2 (0 < x <= 2) were grown by a flux method. We report optimum conditions to synthesize large crystals. Single crystals of the two end members, Co3Sn2S2 and Co3In2S2, and solid solutions with low In concentrations (x < 0.35) were grown out of Sn and In self flux. Solid solution single crystals with higher In concentrations were grown out of Sn, In and Pb mixture flux. Grown crystals were characterized using the powder x-ray diffraction, wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and magnetization measurements. The shandite structure with R (3) over barm symmetry was confirmed and crystal structure parameters of the obtained plate-shaped hexagonal crystals were refined using the Rietveld analysis. Magnetization measurements show suppression of the ferromagnetic ordering, observed in Co3Sn2S2, by In-substitution as reported for polycrystalline samples. The obtained crystals are useful to study anisotropy in magnetic and transport properties and further interesting magnetotransport properties of the layered compounds. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.