Microstructural modification of EuMnO₃ by monovalent sodium doping

Perovskite structured Europium manganite (EuMnO₃) possess complex low temperature magnetic property and the properties of the compound greatly depend on its inherent structural distortion. Doping at Eu position modifies the distortion which in turn influences the magnetic behavior. Though divalent doping was previously studied, effect of monovalent doping on EuMnO₃ was not studied earlier. Monovalent doping has an added advantage over divalent as one monovalent dopant converts double amount of Mn⁺³ to Mn⁺⁴. In this work, sodium is used as monovalent dopant. Na reduces the inherent structural distortion and stabilizes the structure. Eu_1-xNa_xMnO₃ (x=0, 0.1 and 0.2) compounds were prepared by the sol-gel method using europium oxide (Eu₂O₃, purity >99%, SRL), manganese acetate tetrahydrate ((CH₃COO)₂Mn.4H₂O) (purity >99.5%, MERCK) and sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃, MERCK) precursors