Large negative magnetoresistance in thiospinel CuCrZrS4

We report on large negative magnetoresistance observed in ferromagnetic thiospinel compound CuCrZrS4. The electrical resistivity increased with decreasing temperature according to the exp ( T 0 / T ) 1 / 2 , an expression derived from variable range hopping with strong electron–electron interaction. The resistivity under a magnetic field was expressed by the same form with the characteristic temperature T0 decreasing with increasing magnetic field. Magnetoresistance ratio ρ(T,0)/ρ(T,H) is 1.5 for H=90 kOe at 100 K and increases divergently with decreasing temperature reaching 80 at 16 K. Results of magnetization measurements are also presented. A possible mechanism of the large magnetoresistance is discussed.