Heat capacity anomaly near magnetic phase transition in GaFeO3

•Heat capacity anomaly in the vicinity of magnetic transition in GaFeO3.•Critical exponent α=-0.2(1) consistent with behavior of a 3-D Heisenberg ferromagnet.•X-ray, Mössbauer and magnetic characterization of single crystal GaFeO3 grown by float zone method. A heat capacity anomaly in the vicinity of magnetic transition was observed in single crystal GaFeO3 for the first time. The crystals grown along the expected electric polarization direction were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer and magnetic measurements. Two separate data analyses of heat capacity showed similar results within the experimental accuracy. Critical exponent, α=-0.2(1), and amplitude ratios of positive and negative reduced temperatures near the critical point, A+/A-=1.2(1), are consistent with behavior of a 3-D Heisenberg ferromagnet.