Magnetic Properties of Spinel Cobaltite A Co2O4 (A=Zn and Li)
We synthesized polycrystals of cobaltite spinels LiCo2O4, ZnCo2O4, and their mixed crystal (Li1-xZnx)Co2O4, and performed the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements. LiCo2O4 with the Weiss temperature ΘW ~ -114 K exhibits an antiferromagnetic transition at TN ~ 30 K. On the other hand, ZnCo2O4 with the Weiss temperature ΘW ~ -90 K exhibits the absence of magnetic phase transition down to low temperature (2 K), indicating the presence of strong frustration. Taking into account the absence of magnetic phase transition in the orbital-degenerate ZnCo2O4, it is suggested that the antiferromagnetic transition in the charge-orbital-degenerate LiCo2O4 is driven by the charge degree of freedom. Furthermore, the magnetic properties of (Li1-xZnx)Co2O4 suggest that the antiferromagnetic transition in LiCo2O4 is sensitively suppressed by diluting the charge degeneracy.