Theory of spin-orbit enhanced electric-field control of magnetism in multiferroic BiFeO3

Abstract

We present a microscopic theory that shows the importance of spin-orbit coupling in perovskite compounds with heavy ions. In BiFeO3 (BFO) the spin-orbit coupling at the bismuth ion sites results in a special kind of magnetic anisotropy that is linear in the applied E-field. This interaction can convert the cycloid ground state into a homogeneous antiferromagnet, with a weak ferromagnetic moment whose orientation can be controlled by the E-field direction. Remarkably, the E-field control of magnetism occurs without poling the ferroelectric moment, providing a pathway for reduced energy dissipation in spin-based devices made of insulators.

New version published in PRL, with enhanced Fig. 2

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Cited by in corpus (13)

• Structure and spin dynamics of multiferroric BiFeO${}_3$
• Magnetic Interactions in BiFeO${}_3$: a First-Principles Study
• Driving spin excitations by hydrostatic pressure in BiFeO3
• Origin of the giant linear magnetoelectric effect in perovskite-like multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$
• Spin-Induced Polarizations and Non-Reciprocal Directional Dichroism of Multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$
• Magnetic field control of cycloidal domains and electric polarization in multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$
• The Microscopic Model of BiFeO${}_3$
• The Magnetoelastic Distortion of Multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$ in the Canted Antiferromagnetic State
• Confined Magnons
• Orientation Dependence of the Critical Magnetic Field for Multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$
• Selection rules and dynamic magnetoelectric effect of the spin waves in multiferroic BiFeO${}_3$
• Size-dependent bistability in multiferroic nanoparticles
• A coupled magneto-structural continuum model for multiferroic ${\mathrm{BiFeO}}_3$