Crystal Engineering and Multiferroic Properties of Er3+-Doped Yfeo3 Via Hydrothermal Synthesis

Abstract

Y1-xErxFeO3 (x=0-1.0) crystals were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method using NaOH as a mineralizer. The systematic incorporation of Er3+ ions into the YFeO3 lattice led to significant modifications in crystal morphology and multiferroic properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of single-phase orthorhombic perovskite structure across the entire composition range. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a systematic evolution from quadrilateral prismatic to hexagonal prismatic morphology with increasing Er3+ content. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements confirmed the successful incorporation of Er3+ and its effects on local chemical environments. Notably, the Er3+-doped crystals exhibited enhanced magnetic properties, with saturation magnetization increasing from 1.30 emu/g (x = 0) to 4.13 emu/g (x = 1.0). Ferroelectric measurements demonstrated improved polarization response, with Y0.4Er0.6FeO3 achieving a coercive field of 31 kV/cm. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrothermal synthesis in tailoring the structural and functional properties of rare earth-doped orthoferrites for potential technological applications.

Keywords: Hydrothermal synthesis, Crystal morphology, Multiferroic properties, Orthoferrites