YFeO₃-GdFeO₃ solid solutions: Sol-gel synthesis, structural and magnetic properties

In the present work, a series of powdered Y_1-xGd_xFeO₃ solid solutions (x from 0 to 1) was prepared by an aqueous sol-gel method. Structural properties of the synthesized species were investigated using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopies. It was demonstrated that single-phase compounds can be obtained in the whole compositional range between the end members of the series. Raman study revealed a gradual change of the Raman spectra depending on the chemical composition of samples. Room-temperature magnetic properties were shown to be strongly dependent on the ratio of Y³⁺ and Gd³⁺ ions in analyzed species. Consistent transition from hysteresis characteristic of YFeO₃ to almost linear dependence of magnetization of GdFeO₃ was observed with an increase of Gd content in prepared powders. On the other hand, this transition was accompanied by a significant increase of magnetization values.