Effect of pressure on the magnetic and transport properties of the ferrimagnetic semiconductor FeCr2S4

The influence of hydrostatic pressure on magnetization, electrical conducti vity and magnetoresistance of FeCr2S4 single crystals has been studied. Sig nificant pressure influence on the temperature of a spin-glass like magneti zation anomaly, dT(m)/dp approximate to 2.7 K/kbar, on the Curie temperatur e, dT(C)/dp approximate to0.9 K/kbar, as well as on the resistivity and mag netoresistance, was found. The negative magnetoresistance maximum at the Cu rie temperature is shifted under pressure towards higher temperatures. Pres sure induced changes of the low field magnetoresistance and of the conducti vity anomalies at T-m are correlated well with the changes in the magnetiza tion. In the low temperature region the appearance of low symmetry anisotro py has been observed. This effect is distinctly enhanced by the hydrostatic pressure. The low symmetry component of magnetic anisotropy was suggested to be due to the static Jahn-Teller effect. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.