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arXiv · 2610.39218

Colossal magnetoresistance in narrow-gap magnetic semiconductor Eu$_2$CdAs$_2$

Zhiyu Zhou·Zhi-Cheng Wang·Xiyu Chen·Xin-Yu Zhao·Yaran Duan·Shiran Tao·Guang-Han Cao·Shuai Dong
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Abstract

Discovering antiferromagnetic materials with a sizable colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect and precisely tuning their responses remain significant challenges in materials science. This work reports the synthesis, phase transitions, and magnetotransport properties of the narrow-gap Zintl arsenide Eu$_2$CdAs$_2$. The compound undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering at $T_\mathrm{N} = 9$ K and exhibits semiconducting behavior with a low-temperature activation energy of 3.2 meV, achieving a large CMR effect of $-10^4\%$ at 9 T. Below $T_\mathrm{N}$, a distinct butterfly-shaped magnetoresistance hysteresis emerges without any macroscopic ferromagnetic order, revealing a transport anomaly likely dictated by AFM domain dynamics and/or the formation and percolation of localized magnetic polarons. Furthermore, a systematic survey of reported Eu-based Zintl phases uncovers a nearly exponential scaling trend between the maximum CMR magnitude and the low-temperature activation energy. This correlation demonstrates that bandgap engineering serves as an effective strategy for tailoring magnetotransport, establishing Eu-containing Zintl phases as a versatile platform for exploring and manipulating CMR effects.

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Zhiyu Zhou, Zhi-Cheng Wang, Xiyu Chen, Xin-Yu Zhao, Yaran Duan, Shiran Tao, Guang-Han Cao, Shuai Dong. 2026-10-29. Colossal magnetoresistance in narrow-gap magnetic semiconductor Eu$_2$CdAs$_2$. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.39218

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