Isovalent Bi3+ substitution induced structural and magnetic transitions in LaMnO3

Rare earth perovskite manganites have attracted renewed attention due to scientific aspect and prospective device applications. This work explores the structural and magnetic properties of La(1−x)BixMnO3 (x=0–0.5) with isovalent Bi3+ ions substituted at the La3+site synthesized through solid state reaction method. Doping of ‘Bi3+’ in LaMnO3 induces transition from orthorhombic to cubic phase for x≥ 0.3. Decrease in the magnetic transition temperature in ZFC-FC data is correlated to the distortion induced by ‘Bi3+’ doping. Spin glass like feature is witnessed in orthorhombic phase and it diminished appreciably for x≥0.3 in the cubic symmetry. At 10 K, coercivity decreases in orthorhombic phase, whereas it increases marginally in cubic phase. Thus, isovalent Bi3+ doping in LaMnO3 is found to induce structural change from orthorhombic to cubic which is also reflected in the magnetic properties as a change over from hard to soft magnetic phase. In addition, a phenomenological model is applied for fitting the field cooled magnetization data. The results of fitting and the related magneto-caloric effect are also discussed in this paper.