Given the paucity of single phase multiferroic materials (with large ferromagnetic
moment), composite systems seem an attractive solution to realize magnetoelectric
coupling between ferromagnetic and ferroelectric order parameters. Despite
having antiferromagnetic order, BiFeO3 (BFO) has nevertheless been
a key material due to excellent ferroelectric properties at room temperature.
We studied a superlattice composed of 8 repetitions of 6 unit cells of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3
(LSMO) grown on 5 unit cells of BFO. Significant net uncompensated magnetization
in BFO, an insulating superlattice, is demonstrated using polarized neutron
reflectometry. Remarkably, the magnetization enables magnetic field to change
the dielectric properties of the superlattice, which we cite as an example
of synthetic magnetoelectric coupling. Importantly, controlled creation of
magnetic moment in BFO is a much needed path toward design and implementation
of integrated oxide devices for next generation magnetoelectric data storage
platforms.
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