Magnetic properties and anisotropy of orthorhombic DyMnO3 single crystal

An orthorhombic DyMnO 3 single crystal has been studied in magnetic fields up to 14 T and between 3 Kand room temperature. The field dependent ordering temperature of Dy moments is deduced. Theparamagnetic Curie Weiss behavior is related mainly to the Dy 3þ sublattice whereas the Mn sublatticecontribution plays a secondary role. DC magnetization measurements show marked anisotropicfeatures, related to the anisotropic structure of a cubic system stretched along a body diagonal, witha magnetic easy axis parallel to the crystallographic b axis. A temperature and field dependent spin floptransition is observed below 9 K, when relatively weak magnetocrystalline anisotropy is overcome bymagnetic fields up to 1.6 T.& 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. IntroductionManganites are manganese compounds of composition AMnO 3 ,where e.g. A¼ La, Ca, Ba,y, which crystallize in the cubic structureof the so called ‘‘perovskite mineral’’ CaTiO 3 . Depending on thecomposition they show a wide variety of magnetic and electricphenomena, including ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, chargeand orbital ordering. The multiferroic behavior and magnetoresis-tive effects make such oxides as natural candidates for potentialspintronics applications [1,2]. Intrinsic anisotropy is induced if theA site is occupied by different types of ions, with e.g. differentintrinsic charges. When the site A is partially or fully occupied by amagnetic ion, a severe intrinsic anistropy may be induced and thecompounds show different anisotropic behaviors as the tempera-ture is changed. This is considerable if the A ion has an f-shell, likein the rare earth ions. It is easily guessed that such anisotropicfeatures will surely depend on the orientation of any appliedmagnetic field.The perovskites manganites where A is a rare-earth (RE)element present the coexistence of magnetism and ferroelectricity.Moreover, either orthorhombic or hexagonal REMnO