Exotic magnetic behavior with intrinsic and extrinsic magnetodielectric effects in Pr2CuMnO6

Highlights: • Orthorhombic perovskite Pr₂CuMnO₆ is prepared by the modified pechini method. • The conduction process in the compound follows the variable range hopping of the polaron mechanism. • The short-range spin interactions are due to mixed valent B-site ions present in the compound. • The Griffiths-like phase above the glassy transition(18 K) extending up to 66 K. • Magnetodielectric property arises due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. -- Abstract: We present a systematic exploration of structural, electrical transport, thermomagnetic, and magneto–dielectric properties of polycrystalline perovskite, Pr₂CuMnO₆. Powder X-ray diffraction confirms the orthorhombic crystal structure with the Pbnm space group. The electrical transport studies reveal high resistivity (1.34 ×10⁴ ohm–meter at 123 K) of the compound with semiconducting type temperature variation, and the conduction process follows the variable range hopping of polarons. Magnetization measurements reveal the magnetic ordering at 55 K followed by a cluster glass phase below 22 K. Frozen magnetic phase at lower temperature results from competing short-range FM/AFM interactions due to atomically disordered mixed valent B-site ions (Cu^2+/3+ and Mn^3+/4+). Inverse DC susceptibility reveals the observation of Griffiths phase above the glassy transition, extending up to 66 K. Magnetodielectric (MD) analysis reveals intrinsic MD effect (20 – 100 K) due to spin-lattice coupling followed by extrinsic MD effect (100 – 180 K) due to Maxwell–Wagner contribution.