Influence of Er doping on magnetic and magnetocaloric behavior of hexagonal Yb1−xErxMnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 & 1.0) manganites

The effect of substitution of Er at the Yb sites in YbMnO3 on its magnetic and magnetocaloric is reported. All Yb1−xErxMnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0) samples show hexagonal structure with P63cm space group as confirmed by powder X-ray Diffraction. The antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (Néel temperature, TN) is observed to decrease from 86 K for x = 0.1-76 K for x = 1.0. All compounds show ferromagnetic (FM) ordering due to alignment of the Yb/Er moments below 4 K. A field induced transition is also observed in the isothermal magnetization measurements. The magnetic entropy change increased from 3.0 ± 0.3 to 4.5 ± 0.7 J/mole-K in a magnetic field of 100 kOe, whereas the Relative Cooling Power (RCP) changed from 52 ± 7 to 140 ± 3 J/mol under an applied magnetic field of 100 kOe, when x increased from 0.1 to 1.0.