Magnetic, heat capacity, and conductivity studies of ferrimagneticMnCr2S4single crystals

Magnetization, ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), heat capacity, and electrical conductivity of ${\mathrm{MnCr}}_2{\mathrm{S}}_4$ spinel single crystals were investigated as a function of temperature and magnetic field. Two λ anomalies observed in the heat capacity correlate with magnetic phase transformations and their field dependence found in magnetization measurements. The upper λ anomaly at a temperature of $\sim 65\mathrm{K}$ marks the onset of ferrimagnetic ordering, while the lower one at $\sim 4.8\mathrm{K}$ indicates an additional antiferromagnetic ordering of the $A\left(\mathrm{Mn}\right)$ sublattice. Below the Curie temperature, magnetization, and FMR measurements revealed a positive magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The dominating role of the $B\left(\mathrm{Cr}\right)$ sublattice in generating this anisotropy is shown.