Structural, magnetic and electric-polarization properties of geometrically frustrated YBaCo4O7and DyBaCo4O7cobaltites

Abstract

In the RBaCo4O7 (R = Ca, Y and rare earth) cobaltite family, only CaBaCo4O7 shows 3D long-range ferrimagnetic and spin-driven electric-polarization properties. In the present study, we have investigated the structural, magnetic and electric polarization properties in YBaCo4O7 and DyBaCo4O7 members of this family and the obtained results are compared with the CaBaCo4O7. The compound YBaCo4O7 showed a series of magnetic transitions in agreement with the reported literature, additionally, a cluster glass behavior below 5 K is observed. Powder neutron diffraction studies on DyBaCo4O7 cobaltite showed an orthorhombic Pbn21 symmetry and signature of short-range 120° magnetic correlations of kagome layer and a spin glass behavior below 65 K. Dielectric measurements on both the samples showed strong frequency dispersion at high-temperature and frequency-independent behavior at low temperature without dielectric anomaly. Pyroelectric current measurement has showed a broad peak around 50 K in both the samples; however, a careful analysis relates the peak to thermally stimulated depolarization current. This study signifies that the giant structural distortions and cobalt charge ordering at the kagome layer are the key factors to drive both long-range magnetic ordering and spin-driven electric polarization in this cobaltite family.