The evolution of structure and magnetic properties of GdCr1-Fe O3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) polycrystalline samples

Abstract

In this paper, the evolution of crystal structures and magnetic properties of GdCr 1- x Fe x O 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) samples with different doping levels was systematically investigated by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, positron annihilation spectra, and temperature-dependent and field-dependent magnetization measurements. The lattice constants and Cr(Fe)O 6 octahedral deformation increase with Fe doping showing an anomaly at x = 0.4 which is further confirmed by positron annihilation and Fourier transform spectra. Fe doping in GdCrO 3 can suppress the magnetization reversal in the parent phase as well as its antiferromagnetic ordering temperature T N at low doping levels but enhance T N at high doping levels. A possible spin flip or flop transition under field-cooled-cooling process occurs for the samples of x = 0.3 and 0.4 at low temperature. The coercive fields of weak ferromagnetic state with different doping levels at 10 and 100 K also exhibit a local maximum at around x = 0.4 which is accordingly correlated to the concentrations of the vacancy defects in the sample. • The information of cationic vacancy defects is analyzed by positron annihilation technique. • The correlation between lattice parameters and vacancy defects is unveiled. • Defects in GdCr 1- x Fe x O 3 samples have a great impact on their magnetic properties. • Chemical doping and defect engineering are effective tools to manipulate R CrO 3 materials.