Magnetic Properties of (Cr1-xNix)3Te4 with the Pseudo-NiAs-Type Structure

The magnetic properties of (Cr1-xNix)3Te4 with the pseudo-NiAs-type structure have been studied. The ferromagnetic transition temperatures for the compounds are found to decrease linearly with the substitution of Ni for Cr, from their magnetization measurements. At low temperatures below 80 K, the magnetization decreases with decreasing temperature; i.e., a weak antiferromagnetic component is superimposed on the ferromagnetism of the (Cr1-xNix) 3Te4 compounds, and the Néel temperature decreases with Ni substitution for Cr. When the magnetization was measured at higher magnetic field or the sample was field-cooled, this antiferromagnetic transition became ambiguous. The experimental results obtained were compared with those for (Cr1-xFex)3Te4 compounds.