Phase separation and exchange bias effect in Ca doped EuCrO3

The rare-earth chromites have attracted increasing interests in recent years, as a member of a few single-phase multiferroic materials. We studied the structure and magnetic property of a series of Ca-doped EuCrO3 samples by using X-ray powder diffraction and Physical Property Measurement System. Phase separation, rotation of magnetization in M(T) curve and exchange bias effect have been identified. The Eu0.7Ca0.3CrO3 polycrystalline sample may be intrinsically phase-separated, with Cr3+-rich, Cr4+-rich canted antiferromagnetic regions surrounded by spin glass-like frustrated phase, resulting in several magnetic features including: (1) a broad and slow increase of M(T) curve with the decrease of temperature; (2) rotation of magnetization with increasing cooling field; (3) exchange bias and glassy magnetism. The rotation of magnetization is ascribed to the rotation of the moment of Cr4+-rich regions, arising from the competition between exchange coupling energy and magnetostatic energy. The exchange bias effect suggests the formation of weak ferromagnetic unidirectional anisotropy during field cooling, due to the exchange coupling among weak ferromagnetic domains and surrounding spin glass-like regions. This result helps understanding the interaction among different magnetic domains and phases in a complex system.