Tuning the Magnetic and Electrical Properties of LaYFe2O6 by Mn Substitution

Herein, we report a fundamental study revealing the substantial change in magnetic and electrical properties promoted by manganese (Mn) substitution in the iron (Fe) site of double perovskite LaYFe₂O₆ [LaYFe_2-xMn_xO₆; x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15], which is prepared by the sol–gel auto-combustion method. The structural, morphological, magnetic, and electrical properties of all the samples are investigated to explore the influence of Mn in the compound. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study reveals the confirmation of phase formation with orthorhombic crystal structure having symmetries P2₁nm and Pbnm (small contribution). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis corroborates the mixed valence state of Fe and Mn, while the dominancy of + 3 oxidation state can be confirmed for them. Magnetization study reveals that the transition temperature reduces drastically (~ 100 K) by the Mn substitution and approaches toward room temperature (RT). At 573 K, the maximum magnetization value enhanced up to ~ 30% by the Mn substitution. Grain boundary contribution in the electrical response is more prominent in the higher Mn content samples. The application of DC magnetic field exhibits a significant influence on the impedance spectra due to the substitution of Mn in the lattice, which corroborates the signature of magnetoelectric (ME) coupling. The presence of ME coupling is further confirmed by the direct magnetoelectric measurement. This finding along with the above RT magnetic transition could make it a feasible candidate for ME-based applications.