Piezoresistive Effect in the [Fe(Htrz)₂(trz)](BF₄) Spin Crossover Complex

Abstract

We report on the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity of the [Fe(Htrz)₂(trz)](BF₄) (Htrz = 1H-1,2,4,-triazole) spin crossover complex. Variable-temperature and -pressure broad-band impedance spectrometry revealed a piezoresistive effect of more than 1 order of magnitude for pressures as low as 500 bar, associated with a large pressure-induced hysteresis of 1700 bar. The origin of the piezoresistive effect has been attributed to the pressure-induced spin state switching in the complex, and the associated P,T phase diagram was determined.