Phase transition in multiferroic YMnO3 and its solid solution YMn(0.93)Fe(0.07)O3

Ceramics of YMnO3 and its Fe substituted YMn(0.93)Fe(0.07)O3 solid solution were synthesized by solid state reaction of the oxides at 1200 °C. Hexagonal phase was identified in both cases by X-ray powder diffraction. Rietveld refinement of cell parameters showed an increase of the parameter values for the solid solution. Dielectric permittivity measurements versus temperature showed a phase transition at 655 °C for yttrium manganite, however, for the solid solution no phase transition was detected on heating up to 700 °C. Dielectric loss measurements showed higher slope changes and better defined local maxima for the solid solution than for the pure phase.