Structural correlation to ferroelectric order, non-Griffiths like phase and magnetocaloric effect in YbCrO₄

Abstract

We report a ferroelectric order around ~ 99 K (TFE), which is considerably above the long range ferrimagnetic order at 25 K (TN). The value of saturation electric polarization is considerable as ~ 570 μC/m2 for a poling field of 5 kV/cm. The ferroelectric order is associated with a significant magnetoelectric coupling below ~ 90 K. A weak signature of TFE is observed in the dielectric constant, which is associated with a linear magnetodielectric response at 18 K (< TN). A transition to a polar structure has been correlated with the occurrence of ferroelectric order. A non-Griffiths like phase is observed around $\sim$ 48 K, which is also linked with the structural distortion. A reasonable value of the magnetic entropy change of 5.07 JKg-1K-1 is noted at TN for a change in field of 50 kOe, which involves a strong magnetoelastic coupling. The results indicate considerable structural instabilities, which is linked with the observed multifunctional properties of YbCrO4.