The effects of Sn doping on the negative thermal expansion and electronic transport properties in Mn₃Zn_1-xSn_xN compounds

The Mn₃Zn_1-xSn_xN (x=0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.3) compounds were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. The effects of Sn doping on the thermal expansion behavior and electronic transport properties were investigated for these compounds. The transition temperature increases and the difference of the volume does not change as the doping of Sn. When x=0.3, the negative thermal expansion behavior occurs at room temperature, indicating that the range of the low thermal expansion (LTE) broadened to room temperature with the coefficient of thermal expansion in this range increasing from 2.35 to 8.66 × 10^-6 /K. However, Sn doping can change the electro interaction at low temperature in Mn₃Zn_1-xSn_xN compounds. With Sn content increasing, the multiple unusual minima behaviors disappeared, while the electro-electro interactions are increased to suggest a highly correlated Fermi liquid behavior in x=0.2 and 0.3 compounds. The abundant thermal expansion and electronic transport properties make this serial compounds attractive for the interesting physical mechanism study and potential applications.