Effect of Mn doping on structural, morphological and dielectric properties of EuFeO3 ceramics

Abstract

Polycrystalline compounds of EuFe_1−xMn_xO₃ (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5) were synthesized by a standard solid state reaction technique. These compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dielectric properties. The Rietveld analysis of the XRD profiles clearly indicated that these compounds are well fitted with an orthorhombic structure and space group Pbnm. Raman spectral features revealed their fingerprint modes and irreducible representations at the Brillouin zone center as per the group theory. The surface morphologies from SEM images revealed that the average grain size increases with Mn doping. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicated the presence of Eu, Fe, Mn and oxygen. The dielectric properties were studied as a function of frequency and temperature. Absence of any loss peak in the dielectric dispersion suggests its behaviour to be that of a quasi-dc-process (QDC). The increase of dielectric constant with Mn doping suggests that small polarons contribute to the conduction mechanism.