Dynamical systems study in single-phase multiferroic materials

Abstract

-Electric field induced magnetization switching in single-phase multiferroic materials is intriguing for both fundamental studies and potential technological applications. Here we develop a framework to study the switching dynamics of coupled polarization and magnetization in such multiferroic materials. With the coupling term between the polarization and magnetization as an invariant dictated by the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya vector, the dynamical systems study reveals switching failures and oscillatory mode of magnetization if the polarization and magnetization relax slowly during switching.Introduction. -Multiferroics usually represent materials that are both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Such materials in single-phase were usually thought to be rare [13], and hence multiferroic composites in 2-phase, i.e., a ferroelectric layer strain-coupled to a ferromagnet, are usually deemed to be the replacement [5,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. However, there have been recent resurgence of interests [21,22] and some mechanisms of coupling polarization and magnetization in single-phase materials are coming along [23][24][25]. This can lead to possible technological applications [26] of switching a bit of information (stored in the magnetization direction) by an electric field [27]. This eliminates the need to switch magnetization by a cumbersome magnetic field or spin-polarized current [14], although new concepts are being investigated e.g., utilizing giant spin-Hall effect [28]. The electric field switches the polarization and the intrinsic coupling between the polarization and magnetization switches the magnetization between its 180

Multiferroic order parameters in rhombic antiferromagnets RCrO3

“…Interplay between structural, magnetic and ferroelectric order is a subject of great scientific importance. The idea of a rational design of multiferoics using crystallographic distortions [44] have received a response in a number of studies [45][46][47]. The introduction of symmetry-allowed order parameters makes it possible to explain the most of multiferroic properties, as in the case of BiFeO 3 where, in particular, the symmetry and the magnitude of the magnetoelectric coupling tensor have been determined using the structural order parameters [47].…”

Ultralow Energy Analog Straintronics Using Multiferroic Composites

“…T HE invention and development of traditional chargebased transistor electronics has been a story of great success [1], however, fundamental limits hindrance the further progress [2]. In quest of energy-efficient computing, electron's spin-based counterpart, so-called spintronics, has been widely studied in the context of nanomagnets [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12]. Nanomagnets with two stable states separated by an energy barrier are usually envisaged by the spintronics community for non-volatile binary switching [6].…”

Multiferroic property of colloidal crystals with three-dimensional solid-solid phase transitions

“…To proceed, let us first introduce the study of couplings among multiple physical fields, which is always a fundamental challenge in the discipline of physics and has helped to realize a number of new materials with novel functions: say, thermoelectric materials (coupling thermal fields and electric fields) transferring waste heat into electricity [3], photoelectric materials (with a coupling between light fields and electric fields) producing electricity upon the incidence of light [4], piezoelectric materials (bridging pressure fields and electric fields) yielding electricity from pressure [5], and multiferroic materials (coupling magnetic fields and electric fields) enabling to control magnetization (or electric polarization) with an electric (or a magnetic) field [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Recent years have witnessed significant achievements in the study of such multiferroic materials; these materials are particularly important in technological applications like information storage [12,13] and magnetic-field sensors [14,15].…”