Low field spin switching of single crystal TmFeO3

High quality TmFeO3 single crystal with the length of 50 mm has been prepared by using a four-mirror optical floating zone furnace. X-ray diffractometer and Laue back reflection camera are used to determine the quality and crystal orientations of TmFeO3 single crystal. Here, the magnetic properties of TmFeO3 single crystal in low magnetic fields are studied systematically. A typical spin reorientation transition from Γ4(Gx, Ay, Fz) configuration to Γ2(Fx, Cy, Gz) configuration is observed in TmFeO3 single crystal with the temperature between 82 K and 95 K. Temperature-induced type-II spin switching in both a-axis and c-axis are observed in field cooling and measuring while cooling (FCC) and field cooled and measuring while warming (FCW) modes, which has not been reported in previous researches on TmFeO3 single crystal. This is an extremely rare occurrence within the RFeO3 family. The results suggest that such spin switching is easily susceptible to very low external magnetic fields. Therefore, by adjusting the magnitude of the external magnetic fields, the triggering temperatures of spin switching can be controlled, which offers the possibility of the application for TmFeO3 single crystal in future spintronic devices.