Understanding the Nature of Magnetic Transitions in Y2CuZnMn4O12 and Differences with Other Y2M1M2Mn4O12

A special class of perovskite materials with the general composition of A2A‘A‘‘B4O12, called A-site columnar-ordered quadruple perovskites, where A‘ is a site with a square-planar coordination and A‘‘ is a site with a tetrahedral coordination, has recently been rapidly developed. The presence of 3d-5d transition metals at three sites – A’, A‘‘, and B – with original columnar-type arrangements of A cations may lead to new functionalizes because of unusual exchange pathways not seen in other perovskites. We have already investigated using neutron diffraction the following members of this family: Y2MnMnMn4O12 (with reduced ordered moments), Y2MnGaMn4O12 (with spin-glass magnetic properties), Y2CuMnMn4O12 (with three ferrimagnetic at 175, 115, and 17 K and two spin-reorientation transitions (115 and 17 K)), Y2CuGaMn4O12 (with one ferrimagnetic transition at 115 K). Depending on the composition different magnetic ground states and a different number of magnetic transitions are realized. We recently prepared a new member of this family, Y2CuZnMn4O12, which shows different magnetic properties in comparison with other members. Information on Y2CuZnMn4O12 will allow us to unravel the microscopic physics at play across the whole series of Y2M1M2Mn4O12.