Magnetic and crystal structures of BiCrO3

Abstract Polycrystalline samples of BiCrO 3 were synthesized by high pressure–high temperature solid state reaction in a Conac anvil-type apparatus at 2 GPa and 805 °C. Neutron powder diffractograms were collected on the D20 and D2B instruments of the ILL-Grenoble between 2 K and 470 K. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show the onset of magnetic order at 110 K followed by a large increase below 80 K. The neutron diffraction data indicate the appearance of G-type antiferromagnetic order at the 114 K transition temperature, with all spins aligned along one of the unit cell axes and antiparallel spins on different Cr sites. This is followed by a progressive spin reorientation between 80 K and 60 K.