Spin reorientation and magnetization reversal in the perovskite oxides, YFe{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O{sub 3} (0{<=}x{<=}0.45): A neutron diffraction study

Members of the YFe{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O{sub 3} (0{<=}x{<=}0.45) family crystallize in the GdFeO{sub 3} type orthorhombic perovskite structure (space group Pnma) where the Fe and Mn ions are disordered at the 4b crystallographic site. Upon substitution of Mn at the Fe-site in the canted antiferromagnetic YFeO{sub 3} (T{sub N}=640 K), a first-order spin-reorientation transition occurs at a temperature, T{sub SR}, where the magnetic structure changes from the canted to a collinear state. With increasing Mn-concentration, T{sub SR} increases whereas T{sub N} decreases. Neutron diffraction studies on the x=0.4 sample reveal that the spin structure changes from {Gamma}{sub 4} to {Gamma}{sub 1} below T{sub SR}. Intriguingly, when x=0.4 and 0.45, a temperature-induced magnetization reversal is observed below a compensation temperature T{sup Low-Asterisk} (T{sup Low-Asterisk }