Electronic and crystal structure analysis of the FeCrO3 oxide

The magnetic and electronic behaviors of FeCrO3 crystal were investigated by X-ray absorption near edge (XANES) and X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) techniques. The measured data were compared with the parent oxides Cr2O3 and alpha-Fe2O3 of the compound to identify the structural and electronic change during the process of FeCrO3 structure. The electronic properties of the sample were investigated via Fe, Cr L-3,L-2 and O K-edges. The XMCD measurements to probe magnetic properties were performed by an external magnetic field of 0.4T. In the FeCrO3 structure, traces of the O-h and T-d site symmetric local Fe3+ formations were observed. The Fe3+ ions with O-h symmetry as in the parent oxide alpha-Fe2O3 (hematite) were determined to have antiferromagnetic order in the structure. However, domains who have Td site symmetry with ferrimagnetic order due to the gamma-Fe2O3 (maghemite) formation were determined. (C) 2013 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.