Pressure-induced structural evaluation and insulator-metal transition in the mixed spinel ferrite Zn0.2Mg0.8Fe2O4

The effect of pressure on the electronic properties and crystal structure in a mixed spinel ferrite $\mathrm{Z}{\mathrm{n}}_{0.2}\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_{0.8}\mathrm{F}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ was studied for the first time up to 48 GPa at room temperature using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements. The sample was cubic (spinel-type $Fd\overline{3}m$) at ambient pressure and underwent a pressure-induced structural transition to an orthorhombic phase $(\mathrm{CaT}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{type}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}Bbmm)$ at 21 GPa. This structural transformation corresponded to a first-order phase transition …