Coexistence of magnetic and ferroelectric behaviors of pyrochlore Ho2Ti2O7

Rare-earth titanate cubic pyrochlore Ho2Ti2O7 ceramics are prepared by the standard solid state reaction. The magnetic, dielectric, and ferroelectric behaviors are measured in order to investigate the multiferroic behaviors of Ho2Ti2O7, Upon the gradual spin ordering sequence with decreasing temperature, a ferroelectric transition with a small polarization is identified. We discuss the origin of ferroelectricity and its possible Correlation with the spin order at low temperature. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3259368]