Study of magnetic behavior in hexagonal-YMn1−xFexO3 (x=0 and 0.2) nanoparticles using remanent magnetization curves

• Magnetic behavior of h-YMn1−xFexO3 (x=0 and 0.2) nanoparticles have been studied.
• The nanoparticles (~70 nm) were synthesized by solid state reaction method.
• Magnetic data reveal spin-glass behavior in YMnO3 which was suppressed in YMn0.8Fe0.2O3.
• The h-YMnO3 nanoparticles show memory effect and obey de-Almeida Thouless line.
• TRM and IRM suggest spin glass nature for YMnO3, while the YMn0.8Fe0.2O3 resembles DAFF.

We have studied the magnetic behavior of YMn1−xFexO3 (x=0 and 0.2) nanoparticles synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were found to have hexagonal phase with P63cm space group confirmed by X-Ray diffraction. The particle size was found to be ~70 nm as confirmed by both X-Ray diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy. DC magnetization and memory effect measurements imply that the h-YMnO3 nanoparticles bear a resemblance to super spin-glass state following de Almeida–Thouless like behavior which is being suppressed by Fe-doping. The Fe-doping in YMnO3 enhances the antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition temperature TN to ~79 K and induces a new magnetic state due to the surface spins which is realized as diluted antiferromagnet in a field (DAFF) as explored by the thermoremanent and isothermoremanent magnetization measured with different applied magnetic field.