Temperature-Induced Magnetization Reversal in the Mn3+-Doped SmCrO3

The temperature dependence of dc magnetization is investigated for the rare earth chromites SmCrO3 and the doped compound SmCr0.9Mn0.1O3. Different from the magnetization behavior of SmCrO3, temperature-induced magnetization reversals are observed in the Mn3+-doped compound. Moreover, low-temperature isothermal magnetization measurement indicates the magnetic ground state of SmCr0.9Mn0.1O3 to be antiferromagnetic with a spin canting. The field-cooling magnetic hysteresis loop reveals that an exchange bias (EB) phenomenon is present in the sample. The reversal of magnetization and the corresponding EB field is discussed on the basis of the competitive interaction between the antiferromagnetically coupled Cr-rich clusters and Cr-Mn ordered clusters.