Suppressed antiferromagnetic ordering and enhanced electrical conduction in doped iridate Sr2−xPrxIrO4

Sr _2 IrO _4 has been shown to exhibit a novel J _eff = 1 / 2 Mott spin–orbit insulating state with antiferromagnetic ordering. In the present investigation, the effects of Pr substitution at Sr-site on structural, magnetic and electrical properties are studied in Sr _2 IrO _4 . Pr-doped samples still retain the insulating behavior, but with the increase of Pr doping concentration, the resistivity decreases. The magnetic properties show that long-range antiferromagnetic order is collapsed when the Pr doping content increases up to 20%, which may results from a competition between the AFM (Ir 5 d electrons) and ferromagnetic (Pr 4 f electrons) coupling. In addition, Pr doping induces a spin glasslike state at low temperatures.