Magnetic coupling between Sm3+ and the canted spin in an antiferromagnetic SmFeO3 single crystal

Abstract

The perovskite SmFeO3 exhibits type-G AF ordering at TN ≈ 670 K and an easy axis rotation transition at TSR ≈ 480 K. Owing to the peculiar site anisotropy of rare-earth Sm3+, the moment on Sm3+ is oriented antiparallel to the canted spin from the Fe3+ sublattice along the a axis at T < TSR. Development of the magnetic moment on Sm3+ as temperature decreases makes it possible to balance the two magnetic moments at Tcomp. Application of a moderate external magnetic field along the a axis can trigger an abrupt reversal of the moment on Sm3+ and the canted spin relative to the external field at a temperature around Tcomp. We report here a study of the field-induced magnetic-moment reversal in a single crystal SmFeO3 by measuring the magnetization and specific heat with the external field along different crystallographic axes.