Stabilising the orthorhombic perovskite structure in SrIrO sub(3) through chemical doping. Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of SrIr sub(1-x)Mg sub(x)O sub(3)(0.20 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.33)

The synthesis, structure, magnetic and electric conductivity properties of Mg doped SrIrO sub(3) are described. Doping SrIrO sub(3) with Mg favours an orthorhombic structure over the hexagonal face-sharing structure. Polycrystalline samples of the type SrIr sub(1-x)Mg sub(x)O sub(3) with an orthorhombic perovskite-type structure have been formed for 0.2 < x< 0.33. At x= 0.2 the formal oxidation state of the Ir is +4.5 and the material displays metallic conductivity. At x= 0.33 the Ir is in the +5 state and the material is non-metallic. Magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrate the materials to be spin-glasses in which short range ferromagnetic interactions are evident.