We present a comprehensive investigation of the magnetic properties of stage-1 graphite intercalated FeCl3 using a combination of DC and AC magnetic susceptibility, thermoremanent magnetization, and field-dependent magnetization measurements. This van der Waals system, with a centrosymmetric honeycomb lattice, combines frustration and disorder, due to intercalation, and may be hosting topologically nontrivial magnetic phases. Our study identifies two magnetic phase transitions at Tf1≈4.2 K and at Tf2≈2.7 K. We find that the paramagnetic state, for T>Tf1, is dominated by short-range ferromagnetic correlations. These build up well above Tf1 and lead to a significant change in magnetic entropy, which reaches ΔSMPk=-5.52 J kg-1K-1 at 7 T. Between Tf1 and Tf2, we observe slow spin dynamics characteristic of a cluster glasslike state, whereas for T<Tf2, our results indicate the onset of a low-temperature long-range ordered state. The analysis of the experimental results leads to a complex phase diagram, which may serve as a reference for future investigations searching for topological nontrivial phases in this system.

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We synthesize single crystals of a new 2,5-dimethylanilinium tin iodide organic-inorganic hybrid compound and 2,5-dimethylanilinium triiodide. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the hybrid grows as a unique rhombohedral structure consisting of one-dimensional chains of SnI₆-octahedra that share corners and edges to build up a ribbon along the [111] direction. Notably, we find that hypophosphorous acid, H₃PO₂, is of central importance to the formation of this hybrid. In the absence of H₃PO₂, we synthesize 2,5-dimethylanilinium triiodide from the same starting compounds. We investigate the synthesis routes that drive the growth of these two compounds with distinct crystal structures, appearance and properties. Pulse-radiolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements and density functional theory calculations reveal that both compounds have low charge carrier mobilities and very long lifetimes, consistent with their one-dimensional structural characteristics. Our findings give a better understanding of the relation between synthesis, crystal structures and charge carrier mobilities.

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We report an electric-field-induced in-plane magnetoresistance of an atomically flat paramagnetic insulator|platinum (Pt) interface at low temperatures with an ionic liquid gate. Transport experiments as a function of applied magnetic field strength and direction obey the spin Hall magnetoresistance phenomenology with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Our results establish the utility of ionic gating as an alternative method to control spintronic devices without using ferromagnets.@en

The alloys (GeTe)_x(AgSbTe₂)_100-x, commonly known as TAGS-x, are among the best performing p-type thermoelectric materials for the composition range 80 ≤ x ≤ 90 and in the temperature range 200-500 °C. They adopt a rhombohedrally distorted rocksalt structure at room temperature and are reported to undergo a reversible phase transition to a cubic structure at ∼250 °C. However, we show that, for the optimal x = 85 composition (TAGS-85), both the structural and thermoelectric properties are highly sensitive to the initial synthesis method employed. Single-phase rhombohedral samples exhibit the best thermoelectric properties but can only be obtained after an annealing step at 600 °C during initial cooling from the melt. Under faster cooling conditions, the samples obtained are inhomogeneous, containing multiple rhombohedral phases with a range of lattice parameters and exhibiting inferior thermoelectric properties. We also find that when the room-temperature rhombohedral phase is heated, an intermediate trigonal structure containing ordered cation vacancy layers is formed at ∼200 °C, driven by the spontaneous precipitation of argyrodite-type Ag₈GeTe₆ which alters the stoichiometry of the TAGS-85 matrix. The rhombohedral and trigonal phases of TAGS-85 coexist up to 380 °C, above which a single cubic phase is obtained and the Ag₈GeTe₆ precipitates redissolve into the matrix. On subsequent cooling a mixture of rhombohedral, trigonal, and Ag₈GeTe₆ phases is again obtained. Initially single-phase samples exhibit thermoelectric power factors of up to 0.0035 W m^-1 K^-2 at 500 °C, a value that is maintained on subsequent thermal cycling and which represents the highest power factor yet reported for undoped TAGS-85. Therefore, control over the structural homogeneity of TAGS-85 as demonstrated here is essential in order to optimize the thermoelectric performance.

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