Crystal structure and dielectric and magnetic properties of BiCrO3 as a ferroelectromagnet

We have investigated crystal structure, dielectric and magnetic properties of BiCrO3. The structure of BiCrO3 at room temperature is a highly distorted perovskite-type one with monoclinic C2 symmetry which is the same as that of the ferroelectric phase in BiMnO3. BiCrO3 undergoes a structural phase transition from orthorhombic Pnma with centrosymmetry to monoclinic C2 without centrosymmetry at 440 K. It accompanies a dielectric anomaly, implying a ferroelectric transition. BiCrO3 exhibits a parasitic ferromagnetism at 114 K.