Weak low-temperature ferromagnetism and linear magnetoresistance in Lu$_{0.75}$Fe$_6$Sn$_6$ with a disordered HfFe$_6$Ge$_6$-type structure

Abstract

We report the synthesis of Lu$_{0.75}$Fe$_6$Sn$_6$ single crystals with a Fe-kagome lattice using a self-flux method. The crystal structure, magnetic, thermodynamic and electrical transport properties were investigated. Structure refinement reveals that Lu$_{0.75}$Fe$_6$Sn$_6$ has a HfFe$_6$Ge$_6$-type structure as the major framework intergrown with a CoSn-type structure, leading to a vacancy of 25% on the Lu-site and disorder on the Sn-site. It exhibits a significant magnetic anisotropy with weak ferromagnetism in the ab-plane below 40 K and antiferromagnetic behavior along the c-axis. The weak ferromagnetism is due to the canted antiferromagnetism with magnetic moment deviating from the $c$-axis to the ab-plane. Besides, an anisotropic non-saturated linear magnetoresistance is also observed in Lu$_{0.75}$Fe$_6$Sn$_6$, probably resulting from the structural disorder in the sample.