Preparation and properties of antiperovskite-type nitrides: InNNi3 and InNCo3

Two antiperovskite-type ternary nitrides of InNM3 (M=Ni, Co) have been synthesized from In2O3 and Ni or Co powders under NH3 atmosphere at 600 °C. InNCo3 is a new ternary nitride whereas InNNi3 was previously reported as InN0.5Ni3 with different nitrogen content. The lattice parameters refined by Rietveld method are 3.8445(1) Å for InNNi3 and 3.8541(7) Å for InNCo3, respectively. Both nitrides show metallic behaviors and below 70 K the T2 temperature dependence of resistivity was observed indicative of a Fermi liquid behavior. The temperature dependence of the field-cooling (FC) and zero-field-cooling (ZFC) magnetization and time decay of thermoremanent magnetization indicate the spin-glass-like behavior in InNM3 (M=Ni, Co). The freezing temperatures for this behavior, Tf, are about 300 K for InNNi3 and 10 K for InNCo3, respectively.