Andrew F. May, Chris Pasco, V. O. Garlea, Karolina Górnicka, Matthias Frontzek, X Y Wang, Pyeongjae Park, Andrew D. Christianson
Chromium-based spinels with a breathing pyrochlore lattice provide a model platform for studying competing magnetic interactions arising from their lattice geometry. The authors report the growth of single crystals of AgInCr₄S₈ and note that the observed properties are sensitive to growth conditions, particularly sulfur overpressure. Single-crystal neutron diffraction confirms A-site ordering and reveals an incommensurate magnetic ground state that can be described by a simple helical structure. As single crystals of breathing pyrochlores are rare, this work establishes AgInCr₄S₈ as a model system for future experimental studies. Consideration of cation size trends in related compounds suggests this system lies near the upper limit of A-site ordering stability.