Enhancement of magnetic ordering temperature and magnetodielectric coupling by hole doping in a multiferroic DyFe0.5Cr0.5O3

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that hole doping in DyFe0.5Cr0.5O3 enhances magnetic transition temperatures and magnetodielectric coupling, revealing a tunable approach to improve multiferroic properties.

Contribution

It introduces hole doping via Ca substitution as a method to increase magnetic transition temperatures and magnetodielectric coupling in DyFe0.5Cr0.5O3.

Findings

Magnetic transition temperatures increased to ~132K and ~22K.

Magnetodielectric coupling strength is significantly enhanced.

Hole doping influences valence states of Fe/Cr ions.

Abstract

We report the results of our investigation of magnetic, thermodynamic and dielectric properties of Ca substituted half-doped orthochromite, Dy0.6Ca0.4Fe0.5Cr0.5O3. Magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity data bring out that this compound undergoes two antiferromagnetic transitions, one at ~132 and the other at ~22 K. These values are higher than those of DyFe0.5Cr0.5O3. This finding highlights that non-magnetic hole doping in form of Ca+2 in the place of magnetic Dy+3 tends to enhance magnetic transition temperatures in this half-doped orthochromite. We attribute it to possible change in the valence state of Cr/ Fe-ion ions due to hole doping. Dielectric anomalies are also seen near the magnetic ordering temperatures indicating magnetodielectric coupling, which is confirmed by magnetic field dependent dielectric studies. The most notable observation is that magnetodielectric coupling strength gets significantly enhanced as compared to DyFe0.5Cr0.5O3. The results reveal that it is possible to tune magnetodielectric coupling by hole doping in this system.