Local probe µSR studies of the magnetic ground state of CrZnSb

Ciesielski et al., Phys. Rev. Materials 6, 063602 (2022) reported on XZnSb, X= Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni whereby CrZnSb and NiZnSb was concluded display a paramagnetic matrix down to 2 K and additional signals were ascribed to ordering of impurity phases. Our independent experimental studies and DFT calculations conducted in Vienna tend to suggest an unusual magnetic state of CeZnSb. DFT indicates sizable and strongly interacting Cr moments, which however, because of strong, intrinsic vacancy related disorder may not result in a state with coherent long-range magnetic order. Our current experimental results of macroscopic measurements of CrZnSb do not rule out an unusual magnetic ground state (as proposed by DFT), but their interpretation in terms of a paramagnetic matrix with ferromagnetic impurities is an obvious alternative. We, thus, seek to complement our data with local probe µSR studies.