We synthesize a new series of compounds, Dy1−xKxMnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.2 & 0.3) and report the structural and spectroscopic properties of the new compounds in comparison to DyMnO3.

Interaction of multiple oxidation states of manganese ions with rare earth ions in manganites leads to the observation of various magnetic ground states. To understand the effect of average ionic size on electrical conductivity and magnetic ground state properties in Dy1-xKxMnO3 (x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2 & 0.3), we have investigated electron transport as a function of temperature and magnetic properties as a function of temperature, frequency and magnetic field of these compounds. Although mixed valent manganese ions can facilitate a double exchange interaction via oxygen ion leading to a ferromagnetic metallic ground state, no insulator-metal transition was detected. On the other hand, in the compounds with x=0.0 to 0.2, transport properties suggested an adiabatic small polaron hopping conduction mechanism. However, x=0.3 compound followed a variable range hopping conduction. Temperature variation of magnetization data exhibited three different types of transitions involving Mn and Dy ions. The bifurcation between zero field cooled and field cooled magnetization data was observed in all the compounds. Field-dependent magnetization of all the compounds showed hysteresis loops for temperatures less than 10 K. Although large irreversibility between zero field cooled and field cooled magnetization data was observed with a peak for x=0.3, the peak temperatures did not alter with frequency ruling out the possibility of spin glass behavior. The presence of hysteresis loops and lack of saturation magnetization implied the simultaneous presence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions well within the antiferromagnetic ordering of Mn ions.

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