Magnetic structure and multiferroicity of Sc-substituted hexagonal YbFeO${}_3$

Abstract

Hexagonal rare-earth ferrite RFeO${}_3$ family represents a unique class of multiferroics exhibiting weak ferromagnetism, and a strong coupling between magnetism and structural trimerization is predicted. However, the hexagonal structure for RFeO${}_3$ remains metastable in conventional condition. We have succeeded in stabilizing the hexagonal structure of polycrystalline YbFeO${}_3$ by partial Sc substitution of Yb. Using bulk magnetometry and neutron diffraction, we find that Yb${}_{0.42}$Sc${}_{0.58}$FeO${}_3$ orders into a canted antiferromagnetic state with the Neel temperature $T_N$ ~ 165 K, below which the $F{e}^{3+}$ moments form the triangular configuration in the $ab$-plane and their in-plane projections are parallel to the [100] axis, consistent with magnetic space group $P$6${}_3$$c^{\prime }{m}^{\prime }$. It is determined that the spin-canting is aligned along the $c$-axis, giving rise to the weak ferromagnetism. Furthermore, the $F{e}^{3+}$ moments reorient toward a new direction below reorientation temperature $T_R$ ~ 40 K, satisfying magnetic subgroup $P$6${}_3$, while the $Y{b}^{3+}$ moments order independently and ferrimagnetically along the $c$-axis at the characteristic temperature $T_{Yb}$ ~ 15 K. Interestingly, reproducible modulation of electric polarization induced by magnetic field at low temperature is achieved, suggesting that the delicate structural distortion associated with two-up/one-down buckling of the Yb/Sc-planes and tilting of the FeO${}_5$ bipyramids may mediate the coupling between ferroelectric and magnetic orders under magnetic field. The present work represents a substantial progress to search for high-temperature multiferroics in hexagonal ferrites and related materials.

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• Microscopic mechanism for intrinsic nonlinear anomalous Hall conductivity in noncollinear antiferromagnetic metals
• Ferroaxial moment induced by vortex spin texture
• Recent Progress on Multiferroic Hexagonal Rare-Earth Ferrites (h-RFeO3, R = Y,Dy-Lu)
• Magnetic phase transition induced ferroelectric polarization in BaFeF4 with room temperature weak ferromagnetism