Influence of A-site Tb3+doping on the microstructure, optical and magnetoelectric properties of ErCrO3

In this paper, Er1-xTbxCrO3 (0 <= x <= 0.5) samples were prepared by solid phase method. The effects of A-site Tb3+ doping on the microstructure, optical and magnetoelectric properties of ErCrO3 were investigated systematically. The XRD patterns of all samples are consistent with the orthogonal distorted perovskite structure and belong to the Pbnm space group. Tb3+ ions increased the lattice constant of ErCrO3 sample and reduced lattice distortion and optical band gap. It also leads to a decrease in the concentration of vacancy defects in the parent compound. The anomalous increase of lattice constants at x = 0.1 is related to the creation of vacancy defects, and is confirmed by positron annihilation lifetime spectra and FTIR spectroscopy. The antiferromagnetic transition temperature TN(Cr) and the coercivity field Hc gradually increase with Tb3+ ions, and the peak decrease near TSR, while an exchange bias effect is produced. Dielectric measurements indicate that Tb3+ ions effect the Er-Er and Er-Cr interactions, and the dielectric constants of the sample change with the of Tb3+ doping amount.