Crystal Growth, Magnetic and Electrical Transport Properties of the Kagome Magnet RCr₆Ge₆ (R = Gd - Tm)

Abstract Kagome magnets have attracted considerable research attentions due to the interplay between topology, magnetism and electronic correlations. In this study, we report single crystal synthesis of a series of the kagome magnets RCr6Ge6 (R = Gd - Tm) which possess defect-free Cr kagome lattices, and systematically study their magnetic and electrical transport properties. The transition from canted ferrimagnetic to paramagnetic state in GdCr6Ge6, TbCr6Ge6, DyCr6Ge6, HoCr6Ge6, ErCr6Ge6, and TmCr6Ge6 occurs at 11.3 K, 10.8 K, 4.3 K, 2.5 K, 3.3 K, and below 2 K, respectively, due to R-R interactions within the compounds. Magnetization measurements reveal highly anisotropic magnetism with canted magnetic moments in these compounds. In the electrical transport, both negative and positive magnetoresistance at different magnetic field and temperature have been observed due to the competition between different scattering mechanisms. Our work enriches understandings on the Cr-based kagome magnets and paves way for searching possible topological responses in this family.