Magnetic Field Control of Cycloidal Domains and Electric Polarization in Multiferroic BiFeO3

S. Bordács, D. G. Farkas, J. S. White, R. Cubitt, L. Debeer-Schmitt, T. Ito, I. Kézsmárki

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

The magnetic field induced rearrangement of the cycloidal spin structure in ferroelectric monodomain single crystals of the roomerature multiferroic BiFeO3 is studied using small-angle neutron scattering. The cycloid propagation vectors are observed to rotate when magnetic fields applied perpendicular to the rhombohedral (polar) axis exceed a pinning threshold value of ∼5 T. In light of these experimental results, a phenomenological model is proposed that captures the rearrangement of the cycloidal domains, and we revisit the microscopic origin of the magnetoelectric effect. A new coupling between the magnetic anisotropy and the polarization is proposed that explains the recently discovered magnetoelectric polarization perpendicular to the rhombohedral axis.

Original languageEnglish
Article number147203
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume120
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 5 2018

Funding

We are grateful to R. S. Fishman, T. Rõõm, U. Nagel, and D. Szaller for fruitful discussions. This work was supported by Hungarian Research Funds OTKA K 108918, OTKA PD 111756, National Research, Development and Innovation Office—NKFIH, ANN 122879, Bolyai 00565/14/11, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) via the Sinergia network "NanoSkyrmionics" (Grant No. CRSII5-171003) and the SNF Project Grant No. 153451, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) via the Transregional Research Collaboration TRR 80: From Electronic Correlations to Functionality (Augsburg-Munich-Stuttgart). This work is based on neutron experiments performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, France and the Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland. A portion of this research used resources at the High Flux Isotope, a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

FundersFunder number
Hungarian Research Funds OTKAOTKA PD 111756, K 108918
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung153451, CRSII5-171003
Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs HivatalANN 122879, 00565/14/11
National Research, Development and Innovation Office

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Magnetic Field Control of Cycloidal Domains and Electric Polarization in Multiferroic BiFeO3'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this