Large Magnetization and Frustration Switching of Magnetoresistance in the Double-Perovskite Ferrimagnet Mn₂FeReO₆

Ferrimagnetic A₂BB′O₆ double perovskites, such as Sr₂FeMoO₆, are important spin-polarized conductors. Introducing transition metals at the A-sites offers new possibilities to increase magnetization and tune magnetoresistance. Herein we report a ferrimagnetic double perovskite, Mn₂FeReO₆, synthesized at high pressure which has a high Curie temperature of 520 K and magnetizations of up to 5.0 μ_B which greatly exceed those for other double perovskite ferrimagnets. A novel switching transition is discovered at 75 K where magnetoresistance changes from conventional negative tunneling behavior to large positive values, up to 265 % at 7 T and 20 K. Neutron diffraction shows that the switch is driven by magnetic frustration from antiferromagnetic Mn²⁺ spin ordering which cants Fe³⁺ and Re⁵⁺ spins and reduces spin-polarization. Ferrimagnetic double perovskites based on A-site Mn²⁺ thus offer new opportunities to enhance magnetization and control magnetoresistance in spintronic materials.