Structural, magnetic, and electrical behavior of low dimensional Ba2CoO4

The cobaltite Ba2CoO4 presents a monoclinic symmetry ( space group P2(1)/n) and lattice parameters a = 5.891 31(7), b = 7.59 74(3), c = 10.3638(2) angstrom, and beta = 91.90(1)degrees. As determined from X-ray and neutron diffraction data, its structure can be described as formed by isolated CoO4 tetrahedra defining zigzag rows running along the a axis, separated by Ba atoms in both the b and the c directions. The cobalt atoms are in a high spin Co4+ ground state, and their magnetic structure evidences the existence of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic alignments of the magnetic moments alternating along each of the aforementioned rows. Transport properties are related to p-type carriers.