Structure, magnetic and superconducting properties of MoSr2HoCu2O8−δ

Samples with nominal composition MoSr2HoCu2O8−δ were synthesized and their magnetic and superconducting (SC) properties were investigated. The obtained samples are Mo-deficient. It was established that the magnetic order is of a long-range type. The coincidence of the experimental value of the Curie constant and the theoretical one of MoSr2HoCu2O8−δ shows that the observed magnetic properties of the samples are determined by the highly dominating phase Mo-1212. The two-step resistive SC transition, together with the absence of both diamagnetism and a peak in the specific heat between the two critical temperatures may be associated with the presence of a granular superconductivity. The effect of the Mo-deficiency on the magnetic and SC properties of MoSr2HoCu2O8−δ was discussed.