Local structural studies of hole doped hexagonal multiferroic Y(Mn,Zn)O₃

We examined the local structure of hole-doped hexagonal multiferroic YMn_0.9Zn_0.1O₃ using x-ray absorption fine structure analysis. It was shown that Zn atoms substitute Mn atoms while keeping the bipyramidal oxygen coordination unchanged. Comparative study with pure YMnO₃ further showed that the Mn-O bond length splitting is diminished by approximately 0.05 Å, suggesting an enhanced orbital hybridization in the planar Mn-O bonds due to additional Mn³⁺ → O^2- electron transfer near the Zn²⁺ ions. It is a conclusive experimental evidence that Zn doping indeed introduces hole doping on to the two dimensional Mn sublattice of the hexagonal multiferroic YMnO ₃.