The structural and magnetic properties of Sr-doped multiferroic CaMn7O12

The structural and magnetic properties of Sr-doped multiferroic CaMn7O12 were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and temperature dependence of magnetization. The XRD indicates that the samples are rhombohedral lattice (space group R3¯) with small additional phase Mn3O4. The refined lattice parameters of the main phase increases by the Sr doping. The Raman spectra demonstrate the phonon vibration direction is affected, which is probably due to the rotation of MnO6 octahedral. However, as the valence state of Sr and Ca is same at +2, the samples with doping show nonvariation of peak position at Mn 2p X-ray absorption spectra, indicating that the ratio of Mn3+ and Mn4+ ions is unchanged. And the magnetic transition temperature both at T1 = 90K and T2 = 42K is also not tunable because the amount of magnetic interaction between Mn3+ and Mn4+ is not influenced by doping Sr ion. Only the enhancement of the magnetization at low temperature is observed, which is the same as the effect caused by external magnetic fields. An unsaturated wasp-waist type hysteresis loop is observed, indicating the competition between ferromagnetic-like and antiferromagnetic order.