Electric-field switchable magnetization via the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction: FeTiO_3 versus BiFeO_3
arXiv:0806.0589 · doi:10.1088/0953-8984/20/43/434219
Abstract
In this article we review and discuss a mechanism for coupling between electric polarization and magnetization that can ultimately lead to electric-field switchable magnetization. The basic idea is that a ferroelectric distortion in an antiferromagnetic material can "switch on" the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction which leads to a canting of the antiferromagnetic sublattice magnetizations, and thus to a net magnetization. This magnetization M is coupled to the polarization P via a trilinear free energy contribution of the form P(M x L), where L is the antiferromagnetic order parameter. In particular, we discuss why such an invariant is present in R3c FeTiO_3 but not in the isostructural multiferroic BiFeO_3. Finally, we construct symmetry groups that in general allow for this kind of ferroelectrically-induced weak ferromagnetism.
15 pages, 3 images, to appear in J. Phys: Condens. Matter Focus Issue on Multiferroics
References in corpus (9)
- Spin current and magneto-electric effect in non-collinear magnets
- Weak ferromagnetism and magnetoelectric coupling in bismuth ferrite
- Role of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in multiferroic perovskites
- Magnetically driven ferroelectric order in NiVO
- Influence of strain and oxygen vacancies on the magnetoelectric properties of multiferroic bismuth ferrite
- Dual nature of improper ferroelectricity in a magnetoelectric multiferroic
- Towards a microscopic theory of toroidal moments in bulk periodic crystals
- Structural distortion and magnetism of BiFeO3 epitaxial thin films: a Raman spectroscopy and neutron diffraction study
- Electrical control of magnon propagation in multiferroic BiFeO3 films