Critical properties of the 3D-Heisenberg ferromagnet CuCr2Te4

The critical properties of ferromagnet CuCr2Te4 have been comprehensively studied around the critical point T C based on various techniques including the Kouvel–Fisher method and critical isotherm analysis. Reliable critical exponents of β=0.369±0.001,γ=1.27±0.01,δ=4.73±0.01 and the critical temperature ( T C = 326.0 ± 0.1 K ) are obtained. The critical exponents are found to basically fulfill the Widom scaling relation δ = 1 + γ / β . It is found that the 3D-Heisenberg model is the best model to describe the critical phenomena around the critical point T C except that γ is slightly smaller than the theoretical value. The smallness of γ could be attributed to the delocalized holes in a ligand non-bonding Te 5p–Cu 3d orbitals, suggesting that the Lotgering and van Stapele’s electronic configuration of Cu1+[Cr3+]2X1−X2−3 (X=S,Se and Te) is relevant.