Magnetic and electrical properties of manganese telluride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1143/JPSJ.11.27

The temperature dependence of the susceptibility of the antiferromagnetic compound MnTe was measured over a range of temperature between liquid nitrogen temperature and 720°C. An abrupt change in slope and a maximum of the susceptibility curve were found at 37°C and at 55°C respectively. These results are compared with the observed Neel temperatures previously reported by Squire and by Serre. A thermal hysteresis was also found above the Neel temperature, relating to the heat history of the specimen. It is shown that the susceptibility of MnTe_1+x (O≤x≤1), where x is the excess content of tellurium, is explicable in terms of two phases, MnTe and MnTe₂ which possess different susceptibilities. The electrical properties, i.e., the resistivity, the thermo-emf and the Hall emf, were measured as functions of temperature. Evidence was found of anomalous behaviours at the Neel temperature for them. A large thermal hysteresis of the resistivity is also found above the Neel temperature, which suggests a change of the crystal structure at about 130°C.