Magnetic and transport properties investigation of rare-earth compounds with orthorhombic structures

The structural, magnetic, magnetoelectric, and ferroelectric properties of a series of monocrystals with perovskite structures have been examined. The investigations were carried out in the temperature range 2-800 K and at magnetic fields up to 14 T. The existence of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) for some samples, a giant magnetostiction effect for others and the presence of multiphase ferroelectric states were demonstrated. Various possibilities for practical applications are discussed.