Disorder-induced ferromagnetism in CaRuO3 - art. no. 172403

The magnetic ground state of perovskite structure CaRuO3 has been enigmatic for decades. Here we show that paramagnetic CaRuO3 can be made ferromagnet ic by very small amounts of partial substitution of Ru by Ti. Magnetic hyst eresis loops are observed at 5 K for as little as 2% Ti substitution. Ti is nonmagnetic and isovalent with Ru, indicating that the primary effect of t he substitution is the disruption of the magnetic ground state of CaRuO3 th rough disorder. The data suggest that CaRuO3 is poised at a critical point between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic ground states.