Crystal structure and multiferroic behavior of perovskite YFeO₃

We present a study of multiferroic properties of YFeO₃ synthesized by means of high-energy ball milling assisted by annealing at low temperature. Fe₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ powders were mixed in a stoichiometric ratio, milled for 5 h, pressed and annealed at temperature from 773 to 1073 K. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of single-phase orthorhombic structure. Magnetic hysteresis loops, at room temperature, from vibrating sample magnetometry show the transition from ferromagnetic order to G-antiferromagnetic order, related to the transformation from amorphous to crystalline orthorhombic single phase. The value of Néel temperature of single phase YFeO₃ was obtained at 595 K, lower than previously reported. Dielectric behavior at room temperature of YFeO₃ single-phase sample shows a direct dependence with frequency of both dielectric constant and dielectric loss, in good agreement with Maxwell-Wagner effect. A fit made using Cole-Cole equation shows that the Low Temperature Dielectric Relaxation, LTDR, corresponds to a Debye-type relaxation. Finally, it was found that AC conductivity (σ_AC) increases linearly with frequency. All results show that YFeO₃ synthesized by high-energy ball milling assisted with annealing possess a multiferroic behavior.