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Electronic structure near Fermi level of Pr 2 CoFeO 6 (at 300 K) was investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) technique. All three cations, i.e., Pr, Co and Fe were found to be trivalent in nature. XPS analysis also suggested the system to be insulating in nature. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy study indicated the random distribution of the B-site ions (Co/Fe) triggered by same charge states. In temperature-dependent Raman study, the relative heights of the two observed phonon modes exhibited anomalous behaviour near magnetic transition temperature T N~2 70 K, thus indicating towards interplay between spin and phonon in the system. Furthermore, clear anomalous softening was observed below T N which confirmed the existence of strong spin-phonon coupling occurring for at least two phonon modes of the system. The line width analysis of the phonon modes essentially ruled out the role of magnetostriction effect in the observed phonon anomaly. The investigation of the lattice parameter variation across T N (obtained from the temperature-dependent neutron diffraction measurements) further confirmed the existence of the spin-phonon coupling.

The magnetic spin ordering and the magnetization dynamics of a double perovskite Pr2CoFeO6 have been investigated by employing the (dc and ac) magnetization and neutron powder diffraction techniques. The study revealed that Pr2CoFeO6 adopted a B-site disordered orthorhombic structure (Pnma). Furthermore, ab initio band structure calculations suggested an insulating antiferromagnetic ground state. Magnetization measurements revealed that the system possesses a spectrum of competing magnetic phases, viz., long range canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin ordering (TN ∼ 269 K), Griffiths-like phase, re-entrant cluster glass (TG ∼ 34 K), and exchange bias effects. The neutron diffraction study divulged the exhibition of a long range G-type of canted AFM spin ordering. The random nonmagnetic dilution of magnetic Fe3+ (high spin) ions by Co3+ (low spin) ions due to B-site disorder essentially played a crucial role in manifesting such magnetic properties of the system.

Some novel magnetic behaviours in double perovskite Eu 2 CoMnO 6 (ECMO) have been reported. The x-ray photoemission spectroscopy study shows the presence of mixed valence states of transition metal ions. The UV-visible absorption spectroscopic study suggests that the ECMO has a direct wide band gap. A second-order magnetic phase transition as a sudden jump in the magnetization curve has been observed around 124.5 K. The large bifurcation between the zero field cooling and field cooling, suggests existence of strong spin frustration in the system. The inverse DC susceptibility confirms the presence of the Griffiths like phase. Sharp steps in magnetization have been observed in the M-H curve at 2 K, which vanishes on increasing temperature. The AC susceptibility study demonstrates the Hopkinson like effect as well as the presence of volume spin-glass-like behaviour. The temperature dependent Raman spectrum shows the presence of spin-phonon coupling.