Tuning negative magnetization and field-controlled switching with viscous relaxation in Nd1−xGdxCrO3 (x = 0.0–0.5)

This study investigates negative magnetization (NM) behavior and field-controlled bipolar switching with viscous relaxation in Gd-doped NdCrO3. Gd substitution enhances the magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the system, which plays an important role in stabilizing NM. At the same time, the Cr3+ spin-reorientation transition indirectly favors the NM state by altering the sublattice balance. The system possesses multiple metastable magnetization states, which can be selectively accessed under different external fields. A polarity reversal occurs when the applied field exceeds the induced internal field, consistent with the phenomenological NM relation. The system exhibits slow, viscous magnetic relaxation, with the relaxation rate decreasing with increasing Gd content. This reduced relaxation rate helps stabilize the field-switched magnetization states and enables reproducible switching. However, Gd substitution modifies the long-range antiferromagnetic framework and weakens exchange-bias pinning. As a result, the exchange-bias field (|HEB|) decreases steadily with increasing Gd content. Furthermore, the doped samples exhibit a notable magnetocaloric response. Overall, these results suggest that Gd-substituted NdCrO3 is a promising multifunctional material.