Structural and magnetic properties of geometrically frustrated multiferroic ErMnO3 nanoparticles

Single phase hexagonal nanocrystalline ErMnO3 has been synthesized by the sol-gel method to study their structural and magnetic properties. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction data shows that the sample is single phase and crystallized in a hexagonal structure belonging to the P6(3)cm space group. The magnetic characterization indicates that antiferromagnetic ordering of the Mn sublattice occurs at T-N = 65 K. Indications of weak ferromagnetism in the form of a narrow hysteresis loop at 5 K and a very weak magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in ErMnO3 nanoparticles are attributed to intrinsic effects. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.