The multiferroic perovskite YFeO3

The orthoferrite YFeO3 with orthorhombic perovskite structure (Pnma) has been synthesized by mild hydrothermal method. The temperature-dependent magnetization and hysteresis loops indicate that, due to the superexchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions in the crystals, the Fe spins order antiferromagnetically at the Neel temperature 655 K with a weak ferromagnetic moment. The observation of saturation polarization loops at room temperature and 77 K provide evidence for the ferroelectric character of the polycrystalline samples. Its Curie temperature has been obtained from the temperature dependence of the relative permittivities and thermal analysis. As a result, the structure exhibits simultaneously weak ferromagnetic and ferroelectric behavior. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4791697]