YCrO3 (YCO) is known to be a multiferroic with orthorhombic,
Pnma, structure with center of inversion. However, the
local structural inhomogeneity in this compound is believed to give rise to
ferroelectric behavior. In this study we explore high temperature Raman
investigations of YCO and observed that one of its Raman mode B3g (3)
(CrO6 Octahedral tilt mode) softens around the structural phase
transition which could be the origin of ferroelectric nature in YCO. In
addition, we substitute bismuth (Bi) in YCO to understand the structural
distortions that lead to local structural inhomogeneity. Besides B3g
(3) mode softening with composition and high temperature studies in
Y1-xBixCrO3 the study reveals the
structural distortions and the structural tunability Bi offers in such
systems.