Single-Crystal Growth and Physical Properties of the Antiferromagnetic Double Perovskite Ba_2CoMoO_6
This work presents a comprehensive investigation of the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of the double perovskite Ba$_2$CoMoO$_6$ (BCMO). Single crystals were grown via floating-zone and Czochralski growth techniques and characterized using a set of complementary methods. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that BCMO crystallizes in a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure with space group $Fm\overline{3}m$. Magnetic susceptibility measurements exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering below $T_{\mathrm{N}} = 20.1(1)$~K. A spin-flop transition is observed at 26.5~kOe. Heat capacity measurements and entropy analysis are consistent with a $J_{\mathrm{eff}} = 1/2$ ground state for Co$^{2+}$ ions. X-ray absorption spectroscopy provided insight into the local electronic structure, revealing the spin-orbit and crystal field effects. The cluster-model analysis yields a $g$-factor of 4.36, consistent with a spin-orbit-entangled ground state. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy demonstrates a strong near surface optical response with an onset near 1.5~eV and a pronounced feature at 2.65~eV, consistent with visible range Co--O--Mo transitions in line with related Ba-based double perovskites, highlighting its potential for spintronic and energy conversion applications.