Tailoring the magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of rare earth orthoferrites for room temperature applications

Abstract

Polycrystalline samples of SmFeO₃, ErFeO₃ and Sm_0.5Er_0.5FeO₃ were prepared by a standard solid state reaction. An X-ray diffraction study shows that all the samples to be single phase. Reversal of the magnetic moment at low temperatures in the case of ErFeO₃ and Sm_0.5Er_0.5FeO₃ was observed which may be attributed to freezing of magnetic domains at these temperatures and the interaction between antiparallel alignments of two magnetic sublattices. The spin reorientation (SR) temperature can effectively be tuned close to room temperature in Sm_0.5Er_0.5FeO₃ solid solution. Also we observed a magneto dielectric effect around room temperature which may shed light on a new series of magneto dielectric materials.