Defective zinc ferrites ZnFe 2 O 4-δ obtained by vacuum annealing bulk Zn-ferrite at different temperatures T Ann were investigated by using XANES at Zn-K, Fe-K and XMCD at Fe-L 2,3 edges, static and dynamic magnetic measurements. The cation inversion that confers to the starting ferrite a weak ferromagnetic response is progressively lost when T Ann surpasses 250 ºC. Consequently, there is a detriment of the magnetic response that reaches its lower value for T Ann around 370 ºC, being the latter coincident with a negligible non-equilibrium occupancy. Above T Ann ∼ 450 ºC the ferrite progressively enhances its magnetic response. In such case, even though Zn and Fe occupy non-equilibrium sites at surface regions, the deficiency of oxygen predominates over inversion and the former triggers an increment of the magnetic coupling between Fe 3+ at octahedral spinel sites. We discuss the magnetic results that account for spin-glass and/or cluster-glass behavior of this geometrically frustrated compound as due to the randomness and frustration introduced by local defects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.