Large negative magnetoresistance in thiospinel CuCrZrS4

Abstract

We report on large negative magnetoresistance observed in ferromagnetic thiospinel compound CuCrZrS$_{4}$. Electrical resistivity increased with decreasing temperature according to the form proportional to $\textrm{exp}(T_{0}/T)^{1/2} $, derived from variable range hopping with strong electron-electron interaction. Resistivity under magnetic fields was expressed by the same form with the characteristic temperature T0 decreasing with increasing magnetic field. Magnetoresistance ratio $ρ(T,0)/ρ(T,H)$ is 1.5 at 100 K for H=90 kOe and increases divergently with decreasing temperature reaching 80 at 16 K. Results of magnetization measurements are also presented. Possible mechanism of the large magnetoresistance is discussed.