Single-Crystal Growth and Properties of the Perovskites LaVO3 and YVO3

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
LaVO3 and YVO3 are intermediate between LaTiO3 (metallic and Pauli paramagnetic) and LaCrO3 (an insulator and antiferromagnetic below TN=320°K). Single crystals of these vanadites were grown from the melt by a modified Bridgman technique. The temperature dependences of electrical resistivity indicate that both materials are semiconductors in the temperature range 120°–670°K. However, the activation energies for semiconduction are considerably lower than those reported in the literature for powder specimens. Magnetic susceptibilities reveal antiferromagnetic ordering at 137° and 110°K for LaVO3 and YVO3, respectively. LaVO3 undergoes a structural transition at the Néel point that is suggestive of spin‐orbit‐coupling electron ordering. These results clearly support a localized‐electron model at low temperatures. However, the low activation energies for semiconduction at temperatures above TN probably reflect a covalent‐mixing parameter λ near the critical value λc for localized vs collective electron behavior.