Magnetic properties of Co2V2O7 single crystals grown by flux method

Based on the phase diagram of CoO–V2O5 system, single crystals of Co2V2O7 are grown using V2O5 as self-flux at a slow cooling rate. The quality of grown crystals is analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction and electron probe microanalysis techniques. Magnetic properties are investigated by means of susceptibility, magnetization, and heat capacity measurements. Our experimental results suggest that Co2V2O7 is a three-dimensional antiferromagnet, in which two magnetic transitions may occur at low temperature and a spin-flop-like transition may occur at the applied field along the b-axis. By contrast to Ni2V2O7, it is suggested that similar and different magnetic properties may arise from their similar crystal structures and different magnetic ions, respectively.