Synthesis and Physical Properties of Double Perovskite Pb₂FeReO₆

Abstract

An ordered double perovskite Pb 2 FeReO 6 was prepared at 6 GPa and 1000 °C. Despite the presence of Pb 2+ ions at the A site, its crystal structure was determined in a synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction study to be a centrosymmetric one with the space group I 4/ m ( a = 5.62 Å and c = 7.95 Å). No structural transition to the lower symmetry was observed at temperatures down to 23 K. This compound exhibited a ferrimagnetic transition at 420 K, and its saturation magnetization could be adjusted by using different heat treatments to change the degree of Fe 3+ /Re 5+ ordering.