Aging and memory effect in magnetoelectric gallium ferrite single crystals

• Gallium ferrite a room temperature magnetoelectric and ferrimagnetic material.
• Spin‐glass like phase at low temperatures below ~200 K.
• Observation of memory and aging effects in GFO.

Here, we present a time and temperature dependent magnetization study to understand the spin dynamics in flux grown single crystals of gallium ferrite (GaFeO3), a known magnetoelectric, ferroelectric and ferrimagnet. Results of the magnetic measurements conducted in the field-cooled (FC) and zero-field-cooled (ZFC) protocols in the heating and cooling cycles were reminiscent of a “memory” effect. Subsequent time dependent magnetic relaxation measurements carried out in ZFC mode at 30 K with an intermittent cooling to 20 K in the presence of a small field show that the magnetization in the final wait period tends to follow its initial state which was present before the cooling break taken at 20 K. These observations provide an unambiguous evidence of single crystal gallium ferrite having a spin glass like phase.