Short range magnetic corrections in spinel Li(Mn0.976Co0.024)2O4

Abstract A lightly Co-doped spinel Li(Mn0.976Co0.024)2O4 was prepared which crystallizes into a cubic Fd 3 m structure at 300 K . No structural changes were found as the temperature was reduced to 7 K . Magnetic susceptibility and magnetic neutron diffraction measurements reveal developments of magnetic correlations below 150 K . The magnetic correlations were still short range even at 1.4 K , with a saturated correlation length at ∼100 A , apparently, Co-doping stabilizing the crystal structure and enhancing the magnetic couplings between the Mn spins.