Antisite-disorder driven tuning of magnetic properties and exchange bias in double perovskites
Phys. Rev. B 114, 084407 – Published 10 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/wht7-r2ch
Abstract
We demonstrate precise control of exchange bias (EB) in the double-perovskite series through -induced hole doping, revealing a remarkable transition between normal and inverse EB. Using neutron powder diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we uncover a structural evolution from a -site-ordered monoclinic to a disordered rhombohedral phase with increasing . This transition is accompanied by a shift in the effective Co valence from toward , while the Mn valence remains close to throughout the series. DC magnetization measurements indicate a gradual suppression of ferromagnetism with hole doping, whereas ac magnetization measurements for reveal pronounced cluster-glass behavior. Notably, also exhibits the highest EB field of kOe at 8 K under a 20 kOe cooling field. After correcting for minor-loop effects, we identify robust inverse EB at , persisting even under a 60 kOe cooling field. The coexistence of pronounced glassiness with large EB fields and robust inverse EB suggests that interfacial interactions involving frustrated spins play a central role in stabilizing these exotic EB states. Furthermore, the apparent nonmonotonic evolution of the measured EB with doping is found to be largely influenced by minor-loop effects. After correcting for these effects, the intrinsic EB exhibits an overall reduction with increasing doping and antisite disorder. Interestingly, the intrinsic EB displays a local maximum when the ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic phase fractions become comparable, despite the persistence of strong glassy dynamics across the series. These findings establish rare-earth double perovskites as a promising platform for engineering tunable EB functionalities through controlled structural disorder and magnetic phase competition, opening new avenues for advanced spintronic and magnetic memory applications.