Tailoring the magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of rare earth orthoferrites for room temperature applications

Polycrystalline samples of SmFeO3, ErFeO3 and Sm0.5Er0.5FeO3 were prepared by a standard solid state reaction. An X-ray diffraction study shows that all the samples to be single phase. Reversal of the magnetic moment at low temperatures in the case of ErFeO3 and Sm0.5Er0.5FeO3 was observed which may be attributed to freezing of magnetic domains at these temperatures and the interaction between antiparallel alignments of two magnetic sublattices. The spin reorientation (SR) temperature can effectively be tuned close to room temperature in Sm0.5Er0.5FeO3 solid solution. Also we observed a magneto dielectric effect around room temperature which may shed light on a new series of magneto dielectric materials.