Multiferroic behavior of lanthanum orthoferrite (LaFeO3)

LaFeO3 Was prepared by solid state reaction method using Fe2O3 and La2O3 as starting materials. The crystallographic phase of the LaFeO3 has been confirmed by X-ray diffractograms. Magnetic mass susceptibilities (chi(m)) of the sample at different magnetic fields have been measured in the temperature range of 300-14 K. Thermal variations of chi(m) and the observed ac magnetic hysteresis loop indicate the presence of magnetic ordering in LaFeO3. Ferroelectric hysteresis loop observed at room temperature indicates the presence of ferroelectric ordering in LaFeO3. Measured values of dielectric constant in the presence and absence of magnetic field confirmed that LaFeO3 is multiferroic. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.