Temperature-Induced Magnetization Reversal in the Mn $$^{3+}$$ 3 + -Doped SmCrO $$_{3}$$ 3

Abstract

The temperature dependence of dc magnetization is investigated for the rare earth chromites SmCrO\(_{3}\) and the doped compound SmCr\(_{0.9}\)Mn\(_{0.1}\)O\(_{3}\). Different from the magnetization behavior of SmCrO\(_{3}\), temperature-induced magnetization reversals are observed in the Mn\(^{3+}\)-doped compound. Moreover, low-temperature isothermal magnetization measurement indicates the magnetic ground state of SmCr\(_{0.9}\)Mn\(_{0.1}\)O\(_{3}\) to be antiferromagnetic with a spin canting. The field-cooling magnetic hysteresis loop reveals that an exchange bias (EB) phenomenon is present in the sample. The reversal of magnetization and the corresponding EB field is discussed on the basis of the competitive interaction between the antiferromagnetically coupled Cr-rich clusters and Cr–Mn ordered clusters.