Interplay between transition-metal K-edge XMCD, slight structural distortions and magnetism in a series of trimetallic (CoxNi(1-x))4[Fe(CN)6]3/8 Prussian blue analogues.

The magnetic properties of a series of trimetallic (Co,Ni)Fe Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) were investigated by SQUID magnetometry and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the three transition metal (TM) K-edges. In turn, the PBA trimetallic series was used as a tool in order to better understand the information contained in TM K-edge XMCD and particularly the chemical nature of the probed species (extended sub-lattice or localized entities). The results show that the magnetic behavior of the compounds is dictated by competing exchange interactions between the Co-Fe and Ni-Fe pairs, without spin frustration. They also show that XMCD at the TM K-edge is a local atomic probe of the element at the N side of the cyanide bridge and a local probe of the absorbing atom and its first magnetic neighbors on the C side of the bridge. At last, XMCD at the TM K-edge turns out to be highly sensitive to very small structural distortions.