Discovery of ferromagnetic-half-metal-to-insulator transition in K2Cr8O16.

The hollandite chromium oxide K2Cr8O16 has been synthesized in both powder and single-crystal form under high pressure. Combining electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and x-ray diffraction, we found that K2Cr8O16 is a ferromagnetic metal (or half-metal) with T(C)=180 K and shows a transition to an insulator at 95 K without any apparent structural change but retaining ferromagnetism. K2Cr8O16 is quite unique in three aspects: It has a rare mixed valence of Cr3+ and Cr4+; it has a metal (or half-metal)-to-insulator transition in a ferromagnetic state; and the resulting low-temperature phase is a rare case of a ferromagnetic insulator. This discovery could open a new frontier on the relation of magnetism and conducting properties in strongly correlated electron systems.