Structural correlation to spontaneous electric and magnetic order in multiferroic LiCr0.99Fe0.01O2

We report the effect of Fe doping on structural, magnetic and electric polarization in LiCr0.99Fe0.01O2. Although the antiferroelectric transition remains at 62 K, the Néel temperature shifts toward a higher temperature, 95 K. This may indicate release of magnetic frustration in the antiferromagnetically coupled 2-D triangular lattice due to minor Fe doping. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies reveal step-like structural transitions close to the antiferroelectric and antiferromagnetic transitions. The appearance of a new structural transition at antiferromagnetic ordering indicates the presence of magnetoelastic coupling.