Complex interplay of magnetic ordering and spin-lattice coupling in orthochromite Nd$_{0.5}$Dy$_{0.5}$CrO$_{3}$
The mixed rare-earth orthochromite Nd$_{0.5}$Dy$_{0.5}$CrO$_{3}$ has a Néel temperature ($T_\mathrm{N}$) of ${\sim}$ 175\,K, resulting in the G-type antiferromagnetic ordering of Cr$^{3+}$ spins. The inverse susceptibility shows a deviation from Curie-Weiss law at 230\,K, with a large effective paramagnetic moment of 8.8\,$μ_{\mathrm{B}}$. The ZFC-FC magnetization bifurcate just above $T_\mathrm{N}$ and show a distinct signature of spin reorientation near 60\,K. Neutron diffraction show that below $T_\mathrm{N}$, the Cr$^{3+}$ spins align in $Γ_{2}$ representation as ($F_{x}$, $G_{z}$). Below 60\,K, due to spin reorientation, the magnetic structure is in $Γ_{1}$ ($G_{y}$) configuration. The neutron diffraction does not show any signature of rare-earth ordering even at 1.5\,K. First principles density functional theory calculations within GGA+U and GGA+U+SO approximations reveal that the G-type antiferromagnetic order is the ground state magnetic structure of Cr sublattice and the spin-reorientation of Cr$^{3+}$ spins can happen in the absence of 3d-4f interactions unlike in the case of orthoferrites. The specific heat shows a `$λ$' anomaly at $T_\mathrm{N}$, while at low temperature two distinct Schottky anomalies are observed; a Schottky peak at 2\,K and an additional step-like feature above 10\,K. Above $T_\mathrm{N}$, the magnetic transition is preceded by structural anomalies as seen in our x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements. The deviation of structural parameters near Néel temperature is smaller. The phonon frequencies show deviation from the standard anharmonic behaviour: first near 250\,K, due to magneto-volume effects while the second deviation occurs near 200\,K due to spin-phonon coupling.