Dielectric studies of multiferroic orthochromites Ho0.9(RE)0.1CrO3 (where RE=Gd and Yb)

Abstract

Dielectric studies have been made on two orthochromite systems, Ho0.9Gd0.1CrO3 and Ho0.9Yb0.1CrO3. In the known multiferroic system of HoCrO3, Ho is substituted by one lower and one higher atomic number rare earth element (Gd and Yb respectively). Solid state diffusion method has been used to synthesize these polycrystalline samples. X-ray diffraction patterns for both the samples show a distorted orthorhombic perovskite phase. Temperature and frequency dependent dielectric measurements on the Gd and Yb substituted samples show ferroelectric nature with ferroelectric to paraelectric (FE–PE) transitions occurring at Curie temperature (Tc)∼530(5)K and ∼490(5)K (at excitation frequency of 1kHz) respectively. The two studied systems are non-Debye relaxor ferroelectrics and the FE–PE transitions exhibit high diffusiveness.