Ferromagnetic Behavior of (Fe1-yZny)2Mo3O8 (0≤y≤1) Induced by Nonmagnetic Zn Substitution

We have systematically investigated the magnetic properties of (Fe 1- y Zn y ) 2 Mo 3 O 8 (0≤ y ≤1). The ground state of the parent compound, Fe 2 Mo 3 O 8 ( y = 0), is an antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulator. The substitution of magnetic Fe 2+ with nonmagnetic Zn 2+ gives rise to ferromagnetic (FM) correlation. With increasing y , the FM correlation evolves and becomes the most enhanced with y = 0.5. One of the possible explanations for the origin of the FM behavior is that Zn 2+ ions prefer the octahedral oxygen coordination to the tetrahedral one. In addition, the magnetizations when y = 0.125 and 0.25 show a stepwise behavior at low temperatures, implying that several magnetic phases are competing with one another.