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arXiv · 1205.3551

Spin-phonon coupling in multiferroic RCrO$_3$ (R-Y, Lu, Gd, Eu, Sm): A Raman study

Abstract

Raman study on a select few orthochromites, RCrO$_3$ (R = Y, Lu, Gd, Eu and Sm) shows that the phonon behavior at TN in compounds with magnetic R-ion (Gd and Sm) is remarkably different from that of non-magnetic R-ion (Y, Lu and Eu). While anomalies in most of the observed phonon frequencies in all these compounds may result from the distortion of CrO$_6$ octahedra due to size effect and magnetostriction arising from Cr-ordering, the anomalous behavior of their linewidths observed at TN for the compounds with only magnetic R-ion suggests spin-phonon coupling. The presence of spin-phonon coupling and the anomalies in the low frequency modes related to R-ion motion in orthochromites (R = Gd and Sm) support the suggestion that the coupling between 4f-3d moments play important role in inducing switchable electric polarization.

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Venkata Srinu Bhadram, B. Rajeswaran, A. Sundaresan, Chandrabhas Narayana. 2013-06-10. Spin-phonon coupling in multiferroic RCrO$_3$ (R-Y, Lu, Gd, Eu, Sm): A Raman study. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2F101%2F17008

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