Photo-induced magnetic behavior in the amorphous spin-glass material Co₃(SbTe₃)₂

A new ternary material Co₃(SbTe₃)₂was prepared by using a rapid precipitation metathesis reaction between the Zintl material K₃SbTe₃and CoCl₂in aqueous solution. The dc specific resistivity of this material is in the region for metallic conductors (p = 2.75 × 10^-3Ω-cm). The dc magnetic susceptibility of Co₃(SbTe₃)₂is reported over a 2.2 K-300 K temperature region, and the material is characterized as a spin glass with a freezing temperature of about 5 K. Magnetization data are also reported as both thermal remanent magnetization and isothermal remanent magnetization as a function of magnetizing field and temperature. When cooled well below the glass freezing temperature, the frozen spin glass has been observed to exhibit photomagnetic effects consistent with a disruption of the spin-glass state caused by uv-radiation.