Growth and characterization of iron scandium sulfide (FeSc2S4)

Here we report successful growth of mm scale single crystals of stoichiometric FeSc2S4. Single crystal X-ray diffraction yields a cubic structure, spacegroup Fd3̅m, with a=10.5097(2) Å at T=110(2) K consistent with previous literature on polycrystalline samples. Models fit to the data reveal no detectable antisite mixing or deviations from the ideal stoichiometry. Heat capacity and dc magnetization measurements on the single crystals match those of high quality powder specimens. The novel traveling solvent crystal growth method presented in this work opens the door to studies requiring sizable single crystals of the candidate spin-orbital liquid FeSc2S4.