Research of electrical and magnetic properties of the composite α’’-Cd_2,76Mn_0,24As₂(MnAs)_0,25

Ternary and quaternary alloys based on the Dirac semiconductor Cd₃As₂ with atomic or mesoscopic ferromagnetic inclusions are among the most promising functional materials for spintronics. The aim of this study was to investigate the electrical and magnetic properties of the quaternary alloy α’’-Cd_2.76Mn_0.24As2(MnAs)_0.25. Tests were conducted in the temperature range of 4 – 300 K. Melting was performed using the vacuum-ampoule method from high-purity elements As, Cd, and Mn based on data from the triangular phase diagram of Cd₃As₂ – MnAs – CdAs₂. X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and microstructural analysis revealed that α’’-Cd_2.76Mn_0.24As₂(MnAs)_0.25 consists of 0.8 M of ternary α’’-Cd_2.76Mn_0.24As₂ alloy with ferromagnetic nanoinclusions of 0.2 M of MnAs. Furthermore, the studied composite is a soft magnetic ferromagnet (coercivity less than 10 Oe) with a Curie point of 328 K and metallic conductivity. The n-type conductivity and significant positive magnetoresistance indicate the predominant influence of the Dirac topological semimetal on the conductivity of the composite. This is evidenced by the effect of weak self-trapping and the diamagnetic response of the conduction electrons of Cd₃As₂. Moreover, the presence of an anisotropic linear magnetoresistance effect indicates the influence of the magnetic moment of the transition Mn cation in the MnAs ferromagnet on the conductivity of the composite. In weak magnetic fields, the material exhibits spin-glass behavior with a spin-glass freezing temperature of 240 K. These results can be used, for example, in the production of precision temperature or magnetic field sensors based on α’’-Cd_2.76Mn_0.24As₂(MnAs)_0.25.

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