Single crystal growth and magnetic properties of Sm0.7Tb0.3FeO3 orthoferrite single crystal

High quality Sm0.7Tb0.3FeO3 single crystal has been grown by the four mirror floating zone technique. The magnetic properties of Sm0.7Tb0.3FeO3 single crystal were studied in the temperature range from 3 to 400 K. A clear spin reorientation behavior with the gradual transition of the Fe3+ magnetic moment ordering from {G(z),F-x}-type ordering at low temperatures to {G(x),F-z}-type ordering at high temperatures is observed in a range of 330-360 K. which is significantly lower than that of SmFeO3, while significantly higher than that of TbFeO3. Interestingly, below this transition, with decreasing temperature, the value of M-x increases till 3 K, which is in contrast to a pure SmFeO3. We ascribe this change of behavior to substitution of Sm ions for Tb ones. AL temperatures below 100 K hysteresis curves possess a double loop shape with two triangular loops emerging, which is explained by the single domain wall state of the sample. The shape of hysteresis loop depends on the values of domain wall expulsion field H-exp and the domain wall nucleation field H-n. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.