Spin reorientation, spin switching, and magnetic compensation in Er1−xSmxFeO3 single crystals

Abstract

We investigated spin reorientation, magnetic compensation and spin switching transitions in a series of high-quality single crystals of Er1−xSmxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) prepared using the optical floating zone method. Structural and other preliminary characterizations confirmed the quality and phase purity of the crystals. Rietveld refinement of powder XRD data indicates that lattice parameters a and c increase linearly with increasing Sm concentration, whereas b remained constant. Field-cooled cooling (FCC) measurements revealed a temperature-induced spin reorientation transition (SRT) from Γ4 (Gx, Ay, Fz) to Γ2 (Fx, Cy, Gz) for all the samples. SRT temperature increased with Sm concentration and spread widely above and below room temperature. Moreover, magnetic compensation is common to all the compositions but decreases as Sm doping increases. We also observe type-I spin switching in samples with x = 0, 0.2, and 0.4 at an applied field of 60 Oe under FCC protocol, with a reduction in spin switching temperature as Sm content increased. For Sm-rich samples (x = 0.6, 0.8), spin switching was absent at 60 Oe.