The enhanced spontaneous dielectric polarization in Ga doped CuFeO2

Abstract

The magnetic and dielectric polarization properties of the single crystal samples of CuFe1−xGaxO2 (x = 0 and 0.02) are investigated. Experimental results show that the magnetization and dielectric polarizations are anisotropy and coupled together. Compared with pure CuFeO2, in the case with the magnetic field parallel to the c axis, a field-induced phase transition with a hysteresis is clearly observed between the five-sublattice (5SL) and three-sublattice (3SL) phases. Specially, an obvious spontaneous dielectric polarization is observed in CuFe0.98Ga0.02O2 in a lower magnetic field region, indicating that the Ga doping has an effect on the enhancement of spontaneous dielectric polarization. Based on the dilution effect, change of exchange interaction, and partial release of the spin frustration due to the structural modulation of the Ga ion dopant, the origin of the magnetization, and spontaneous polarization characteristics are discussed and the complete dielectric polarization diagrams are assumed.