Structural and magnetic properties of SrRul-xMxO3

Structural and magnetic properties of polycrystalline compounds, SrRul-xMxO3 (M= Ga3+, Cu2+ and Zn2+; x=0.1 and 0.2) have been studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ac susceptibility measurements. Structure of all the compounds, except x=0.2 of Cu, is that of the parent compound (SrRuO3). In contrast to zinc substituted sample with x=0.2, Cu substituted sample with x= 0.2 changes crystal structure orthorhombic to tetragonal. This could be attributed to the Jahn-Teller character of Cu ion. Rietveld refinement results of XRD show that the substitution introduces more distortions in the RuO6 octahedra than in the lattice parameters. Ferromagnetic transition temperature was found to decrease by the substitution of various elements at Ru site. Structural studies coupled with magnetic measurements suggest that charge disorder at Ru site alone has profound effect on Tc. (author)