Room temperature ferromagnetism induced by high valence cation V$^{+5}$/V$^{+4}$ substitution in SrFeO$_{3-δ}$

Abstract: The structural and magnetic effects of non-magnetic vanadium (V) doping in helimagnetic SrFeO$_{3-\delta}$ (SFO) are investigated, focusing on up to 3% substitution at the Fe site. Structural analysis from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, supported by phonon mode calculations, reveals that pure SFO exists as a mixed tetragonal-orthorhombic phase, while V-doped samples exhibit an emerging cubic phase alongside tetragonal symmetry. Magnetic hysteresis (M-H) loops show notable ferromagnetic behavior within the antiferromagnetic matrix, persisting even at room temperature. Temperature-dependent magnetization measurements indicate a Neel temperature (TN ) shift from 70K to 55K, along with increased magnetization differences in field-cooled (FC) and zero field-cooled (ZFC) data, reflecting heightened magnetic frustration due to competing FM/AFM exchange interactions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analyses reveal a rise in Fe$^{3+}$ and V$^{5+}$ states, affecting oxygen vacancy distributions and corresponding structural shifts seen in XRD and Raman results. The multivalent Fe$^{3+}$/Fe$^{4+}$ and V$^{4+}$/V$^{5+}$ states enhance double-exchange (DE) and super-exchange (SE) interactions (Fe$^{3+}$-O-Fe$^{4+}$ and Fe$^{3+}$-O-V$^{5+}$), promoting ferromagnetism. Frequency-dependent magnetization studies display a subtle susceptibility peak shift, indicating spin-glass-like behavior in V-doped samples.