Structure and Unusual Magnetic Properties of Mg-Containing Solid Solutions Based on Y2FeTaO7

Mg-containing solid solutions based on Y2FeTaO7 and formed by various mechanisms of heterovalent substitution were synthesized and had the following compositions: Y2Fe0.55Mg0.3Ta1.15O7, Y2Fe0.625Mg0.3Ta1.075O7, Y2Fe0.7Mg0.3TaO7, Y2Fe0.7Mg0.2Ta1.1O7, Y2Fe0.85Mg0.15TaO7, Y1.85Mg0.15Fe0.925Ta1.075O7, and Y1.85Mg0.15FeTaO7. It was shown that all synthesized solid solutions have a pyrochlore-like layered structure (space group P3121), in which Fe3+ ions are distributed over three structural positions. The magnetic properties of these solid solutions are due to the presence of a small ferromagnetic component in a predominantly antiferromagnetic system and characterize a ferrimagnet or a canted antiferromagnet with the Néel transition at the Néel temperature TN above room temperature. According to the data of magnetic measurements, two magnetic phase transitions to the ordered phase occur in all the studied samples. Along with the TN transition, in weak magnetic fields and below TN, there is a second transition, which is most likely due to a spin reorientation of the Morin type. The existence of magnetic ordering at room temperature in one magnetic sublattice or an internal magnetic field (Hin) was confirmed by Mössbauer spectroscopy.