Unusual coercivity and zero field stabilization of fully saturated magnetization in single crystals of LaCrGe$_3$

Abstract

LaCrGe$_3$ is an itinerant, metallic ferromagnet with a Curie temperature ($T_C$) of $\sim$ 86 K. Whereas LaCrGe$_3$ has been studied extensively as a function of pressure as an example of avoided ferromagnetic quantum criticality, questions about its ambient pressure ordered state remain; specifically, whether there is a change in the nature of the ferromagnetically ordered state below $T_C$ $\sim$ 86 K. We present anisotropic $M$($H$) isotherms, coupled with anisotropic AC susceptibility data, and demonstrate that LaCrGe$_3$ has a remarkable, low temperature coercivity associated with exceptionally sharp, complete magnetization reversals to and from fully polarized states. This coercivity is temperature dependent, it drops to zero in the 40 - 55 K region and reappears in the 70 - 85 K regions. At low temperatures LaCrGe$_3$ has magnetization loops and behavior that has previously associated with micromagnetic/nanocrystalline materials, not bulk, macroscopic samples.