Carrier-mediated magnetoelectricity in complex oxide heterostructures

Abstract

The search for a general means to control the coupling between electricity and magnetism has intrigued scientists since Ørsted's discovery of electromagnetism in the early 19 th century.While tremendous success has been achieved to date in creating both single phase and composite magnetoelectric materials, the quintessential electric-field control of magnetism remains elusive.In this work, we demonstrate a linear magnetoelectric effect which arises from a novel carriermediated mechanism, and is a universal feature of the interface between a dielectric and a spinpolarized metal. Using first-principles density functional calculations, we illustrate this effect at the SrRuO 3 /SrTiO 3 interface and describe its origin. To formally quantify the magnetic response of such an interface to an applied electric field, we introduce and define the concept of spin capacitance. In addition to its magnetoelectric and spin capacitive behavior, the interface displays a spatial coexistence of magnetism and dielectric polarization suggesting a route to a new type of interfacial multiferroic.

Large magnetoelectric effect in ferroelectric/piezomagnetic heterostructures

“…It was predicted that atomic displacements at the FM/FE interface caused by FE switching change the overlap between atomic orbitals at the interface, which in turn affects the interface magnetization 4,5 . Recently it was demonstrated that ME effect can be induced by free carriers 6 . In this case, due to spin-dependent screening 7 , an applied electric field produces an accumulation of spin-polarized electrons or holes at the metal-insulator interface resulting in a change of the interface magnetization 8 and the exchange splitting [9][10][11] .…”

Multiferroic Materials: Physics and Properties

“…Magnetoelectric coupling can also be mediated via an interface-charge-mediated mechanism, 132 shown in Figure 8(c). The polarization of the ferroelectric material causes a build-up of bound interface charge.…”

Magnetoelectric coupling across the interface of multiferroic nanocomposites

“…The magnetic spin states can also be determined by the switching of the ferroelectric polarization. Rondinelli et al [40] predicted the ME effect at the ferroelectric (dielectric)/magnetic interface using the first principles density functional calculation. Across the interface of ferromagnetic SrRuO 3 (SRO) and dielectric STO, the ferromagnetism could be controlled by the accumulation or depletion of the spin-up due to the application of the electric field on the dielectric layer.…”