Abstract
YCrO3 is a chromium-based distorted perovskite oxide that has attracted interest due to its potential magnetoelectric properties. In this work, single-crystal neutron diffraction was used to investigate its triclinic symmetry, ferroelectric nature, and magnetic structure. The results reveal a low-symmetry triclinic structural configuration that provides a crystallographic basis for the ferroelectric behavior of YCrO3. In addition, magnetic refinement identifies a G-type antiferromagnetic arrangement of Cr3+ moments, showing that long-range magnetic order coexists with a symmetry-lowered lattice structure. By combining structural and magnetic analysis and theoretical calculations, this study highlights the connection between lattice distortion, spin ordering, and electric polarization. These findings suggest that subtle symmetry-breaking distortions can play a key role in generating multifunctional properties in perovskite oxides. Overall, the work provides insight into the microscopic origin of ferroelectricity and magnetism in YCrO3 and demonstrates the importance of precise structural investigation in understanding magnetoelectric materials.
Biography
Prof. Hai-Feng Li is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, and an experimental condensed matter physicist and materials scientist specializing in magnetic functional and energy-related materials, single-crystal growth, and neutron and synchrotron scattering. He earned his Ph.D. with distinction from RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany, where he was awarded the Borchersplakette in 2009. His international research career spans the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Ames Laboratory, RWTH Aachen University, the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Institut Laue-Langevin, and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, where he served as a Marie Curie-COFUND CONEX Fellow under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme.
Prof. Li's research has appeared in leading journals such as Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, Reports on Progress in Physics, Advanced Materials, Materials Today, and Nano Energy, comprising over 160 publication records with more than 4,400 citations and an H-index of 37. He is also the author of one book, one chapter, and holder of 11 granted patents. In addition to serving as an Editorial Board Member of AAPPS Bulletin, his honors include the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award from RWTH Aachen University, the Marie Curie-COFUND CONEX Fellowship, and the National Outstanding Young Neutron Scattering Paper Award.
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