Negative zero‐field‐cooled magnetization and magnetic switching in multiferroic Lu_0.5Sc_0.5FeO₃ ceramics

Abstract

In this study, we have investigated the negative magnetization of Lu 0.5 Sc 0.5 FeO 3 (LSFO) ceramics in the zero-field-cooled (ZFC) mode. The negative magnetization in ZFC measurement appears below the Neél temperature (T N ) in LSFO, which is probably caused by the residual negative trapping field in superconducting magnet, and is closely related to the giant coercivity in LSFO. By fitting the high-temperature paramagnetic data under nominal zero magnetic field, the negative trapping field in superconducting magnet is found to be −3.28 Oe. The giant coercivity is ascribed to the strong uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy in LSFO, which can cause the strong magnetic domain wall pinning effect to limit the nucleation of reversed domains under reverse field. In addition, a switchable magnetization switching is realized in LSFO. The magnetization of LSFO can stably switch between positive and negative values when the applied magnetic field was switched between 0.5 and 3 kOe, which suggests that the LSFO samples are suitable for potential applications in magnetic storage.