Surface Magnetization in Antiferromagnets: Classification, example materials, and relation to magnetoelectric responses

Abstract

We use symmetry analysis and density functional theory to characterize antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials which have a finite equilibrium magnetization density on particular surface terminations. A nonzero magnetic dipole moment per unit area or "surface magnetization" can arise on particular surfaces of many AFMs due to the bulk magnetic symmetries. Such surface magnetization plays an essential role in numerous device applications, from random-access magnetoelectric (ME) memory to exchange bias. However, at this point a universal description of AFM surface magnetization is lacking. We first introduce a classification system based on whether the surface magnetization is sensitive or robust to roughness, and on whether the surface of interest is magnetically compensated or uncompensated in the bulk magnetic ground state. We show that uncompensated surface magnetization can be conveniently described in terms of ME multipoles at the local-moment, unit cell level, and demonstrate that the symmetry of the multivalued "multipolization lattice" distinguishes between roughness-robust and roughness-sensitive surface magnetization. We then demonstrate that magnetization on bulk-compensated surfaces arises due to ME multipoles (in addition to higher-order magnetic terms) at the atomic site level. These can further be understood in terms of bulk ME responses, arising from the effective electric field resulting from the surface termination. We also show with density functional calculations that nominally compensated surfaces in Cr2O3 and FeF2 develop a finite magnetization density at the surface, in agreement with our predictions based on both group theory and the linear and higher-order ME response tensors. Our analysis provides a comprehensive basis for understanding the surface magnetic properties in AFMs, and has important implications for phenomena such as exchange bias coupling.

32 pages, 18 figures

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• Imaging Local Effects of Voltage and Boron Doping on Spin Reversal in Antiferromagnetic Magnetoelectric Cr2O3 Thin Films and Devices
• Electrical Control of the Exchange Bias Effect at Model Ferromagnet-Altermagnet Junctions