Magnetic control of ferroelectric polarization

Thermally or magnetically induced polarization reversal in the Multiferroic CoCr2O4

We report the unexpected evolution, with thermal and magnetic-field (H) variations, of the interrelation between the polarization P, magnetization M, and spiral wave vector Q in CoCr2O4, which has a ferrimagnetic conical-spiral magnetic order. For example, P suddenly jumps and changes its sign at the magnetic lock-in transition (T_{L}) with thermal variation, or with isothermal variation of H (without changing its direction) at T_{L}, which surprisingly occurs without change in spiral handedness (i.e., the sign of Q). The presence of multiple spiral sublattices may be behind this unusual behavior.

Magnetically induced ferroelectricity in TbMnO(3): inverse Goodenough-Kanamori interaction

Improper ferroelectricity in magnets, as induced by non-centrosymmetric spin-, charge- or orbital-ordering, is a branch of the field of multiferroics having fascinating physics and a potentially important technological outcome. We focus here on ferroelectricity in orthorhombic TbMnO(3), where the magnetic field along the a-axis produces a polar collinear spin-arrangement with a rather large in-plane electric polarization. The mechanism, similar to that occurring in orthorhombic HoMnO(3) in the AFM-E phase, is efficiently driven by a large modification of the structural properties (such as MnO bond-lengths and Mn-O-Mn bond-angles) to favor e(g) electron hopping between Mn with parallel spins. A similar mechanism where the t(2g) states are involved is examined through a hypothetical collinear spin-structure, resulting in a weaker out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization.

Dynamics of multiferroic domain wall in spin-cycloidal ferroelectric DyMnO3

We report the dielectric dispersion of the giant magnetocapacitance (GMC) in multiferroic DyMnO3 over a wide frequency range. The GMC is found to be attributable not to the softened electromagnon but to the electric-field-driven motion of multiferroic domain wall (DW). In contrast to conventional ferroelectric DWs, the present multiferroic DW motion holds an extremely high relaxation rate of approximately 10;{7} s;{-1} even at low temperatures. This mobile nature as well as the model simulation suggests that the multiferroic DW is not atomically thin as in ferroelectrics but thick, reflecting its magnetic origin.

Origin of electromagnon excitations in multiferroic RMnO3

Electromagnon excitations in multiferroic orthorhombic RMnO3 are shown to result from the Heisenberg coupling between spins despite the fact that the static polarization arises from the much weaker Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya exchange interaction. We present a model incorporating the structural characteristics of this family of manganites that is confirmed by far infrared transmission data as a function of temperature and magnetic field and inelastic neutron scattering results. A deep connection is found between the magnetoelectric dynamics of the spiral phase and the static magnetoelectric coupling in the collinear E phase of this family of manganites.

Chiral and collinear ordering in a distorted triangular antiferromagnet

Magnetization, specific heat, and neutron diffraction measurements are used to map out the entire magnetic phase diagram of KFe(MoO4)2. This stacked triangular antiferromagnet is structurally similar to the famous multiferroic system RbFe(MoO4)2. Because of an additional small crystallographic distortion, it contains two sets of inequivalent distorted magnetic triangular lattices. As a result, the spin network breaks down into two intercalated yet almost independent magnetic subsystems. One is a collinear antiferromagnet that shows a simple spin-flop behavior in applied magnetic fields. The other is a helimagnet that instead goes through a series of exotic commensurate-incommensurate phase transformations. In the various phases one observes either true three-dimensional or unconventional quasi-two-dimensional ordering.

Giant electrothermal conductivity and spin-phonon coupling in an antiferromagnetic oxide

The application of weak electric fields ( less, similar 100 V/cm) is found to dramatically enhance the lattice thermal conductivity of the antiferromagnetic insulator CaMnO3 over a broad range of temperature about the Néel ordering point (125 K). The effect is coincident with field-induced detrapping of bound electrons, suggesting that phonon scattering associated with short- and long-ranged antiferromagnetic order is suppressed in the presence of the mobilized charge. This interplay between bound charge and spin-phonon coupling might allow for the reversible control of spin fluctuations using weak external fields.

Control of the magnetoelectric domain-wall stability by a magnetic field in a multiferroic MnWO4

The relation between the orientation of the magnetic field and the flopped ferroelectric polarization has been investigated for multiferroic MnWO4. The ferroelectric single-domain state is retained across the polarization flop process when the direction of the applied magnetic field slightly deviates from the b axis within the ab plane. Furthermore, the electric polarization in the high-field P parallela phase is reversed when the P parallelb-to-P parallela transition takes place while decreasing and increasing the magnetic fields oppositely canted from the b axis. These results indicate that the symmetry breaking induced by a canted magnetic field determines the direction of the polarization flop, which corresponds to the direction of the vector spin chirality. The stability of the magnetoelectric domain walls in a canted magnetic field play a key role in the directional control of the electric polarization flop phenomenon.

Rotation of an electric polarization vector by rotating magnetic field in cycloidal magnet Eu0.55Y0.45MnO3

To clarify the microscopic origin of the gigantic magnetoelectric effect in multiferroics, we have investigated the variation of an electric polarization (P) vector under a rotating magnetic field (H) for a cycloidal helimagnet Eu0.55Y0.45MnO3 as a canonical example. P rotates smoothly by rotating H around the magnetic propagation wave vector k, which can be well understood by the rotation of the conical spin structure around k. We also show that the rotation process of the conical spin structure under H is crucial for the retention or reversal of the spin helicity or equivalently of the direction of P.

Evidence for an electric-dipole active continuum band of spin excitations in multiferroic TbMnO3

The wide range optical spectra on a multiferroic prototype TbMnO3 have been investigated to clarify the origin of spin excitations observed in the far-infrared region. We elucidate the full band structure, whose high energy edge (133 cm;{-1}) exactly corresponds to twice of the highest-lying magnon energy. Thus the origin of this absorption band is clearly assigned to two-magnon excitation driven by the electric field of light. There is an overlap between the two-magnon and phonon energy ranges, where the strong coupling between them is manifested by the frequency shift and transfer of oscillator strength of the phonon mode.

Quantum theory of multiferroic helimagnets: collinear and helical phases

We study the quantum fluctuation in the cycloidal helical magnet in terms of the Schwinger boson approach. In sharp contrast to the classical fluctuation, the quantum fluctuation is collinear in nature which gives rise to the collinear spin density wave state slightly above the helical cycloidal state as the temperature is lowered. Physical properties such as the reduced elliptic ratio of the spiral, the neutron scattering and infrared absorption spectra are discussed from this viewpoint with the possible relevance to the quasi-one dimensional LiCu2O2 and LiCuVO4.

Surface magnetoelectric effect in ferromagnetic metal films

A surface magnetoelectric effect is revealed by density-functional calculations that are applied to ferromagnetic Fe(001), Ni(001), and Co(0001) films in the presence of an external electric field. The effect originates from spin-dependent screening of the electric field which leads to notable changes in the surface magnetization and the surface magnetocrystalline anisotropy. These results are of considerable interest in the area of electrically controlled magnetism and magnetoelectric phenomena.

Cycloidal spin order in the a-axis polarized ferroelectric phase of orthorhombic perovskite manganite

The ferroelectric state in an orthorhombic perovskite RMnO3 (R=Gd0.7Tb0.3) was proved by neutron scattering studies to show the cycloidal spin state with the ab-spiral plane and the spin-helicity dependent polarization vector along the a axis, sharing the microscopic origin (inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction) with the more widely observed P||c state (e.g., for R=Tb and Dy) with the bc-spiral plane. The magnetic-field induced polarization flop from P||c to P||a as well known for RMnO3 is thus assigned to the orthogonal flop of the spin spiral plane from bc to ab.

Detection of coherent magnons via ultrafast pump-probe reflectance spectroscopy in multiferroic Ba0.6Sr1.4Zn2Fe12O22

We report the detection of a magnetic resonance mode in multiferroic Ba0.6Sr1.4Zn2Fe12O22 using time-domain pump-probe reflectance spectroscopy. Magnetic sublattice precession is coherently excited via picosecond thermal modification of the exchange energy. Importantly, this precession is recorded as a change in reflectance caused by the dynamic magnetoelectric effect. Thus, transient reflectance provides a sensitive probe of magnetization dynamics in materials with strong magnetoelectric coupling, such as multiferroics, revealing new possibilities for application in spintronics and ultrafast manipulation of magnetic moments.

Magnetic-field-induced ferroelectric state in DyFeO3

Versatile and gigantic magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena have been found for a single crystal of DyFeO3. Below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature of Dy moments, a linear-ME tensor component as large as alphazz approximately 2.4 x 10(-2) esu is observed. It is also revealed that application of magnetic field along the c axis induces a multiferroic (weakly ferromagnetic and ferroelectric) phase with magnetization [> or =0.5 microB/formula unit (f.u.)] and electric polarization (> or =0.2 microC/cm2) both along the c axis. Exchange striction working between adjacent Fe3+ and Dy3+ layers with the respective layered antiferromagnetic components is proposed as the origin of the ferroelectric polarization in the multiferroic phase.

Magnetic ground state and transition of a quantum multiferroic LiCu2O2

Based on resonant soft x-ray magnetic scattering, we report that LiCu2O2 exhibits a large interchain coupling which suppresses quantum fluctuations along spin chains, and a quasi-2D short-range magnetic order prevails at temperatures above the magnetic transition. These observations unravel the fact that the ground state of LiCu2O2 possesses long-range 2D-like incommensurate magnetic order rather than being a gapped spin liquid as expected from the nature of quantum spin-1/2 chains. In addition, the spin coupling along the c axis is found to be essential for inducing electric polarization.

Spin-driven ferroelectricity in triangular lattice antiferromagnets ACrO2 (A=Cu, Ag, Li, or Na)

The correlation between the dielectric and magnetic properties is investigated on the triangular-lattice antiferromagnets ACrO2 (A=Cu, Ag, Li, or Na) with a 120-degree spiral structure. For the A=Cu and Ag compounds with a delafossite structure, the ferroelectric polarization emerges with a spiral-spin order, implying strong coupling between ferroelectricity and the spiral-spin structure. For the A=Li and Na compounds with an ordered rock salt structure, on the other hand, no spontaneous polarization is discerned, while the clear anomaly in the dielectric constant can be observed upon the transition to the spiral-spin ordered state. This feature can be ascribed to the possible antiferroelectric state induced by the alternate stacking of the Cr-spin sheet with opposite vector spin chirality.

Electric field switching of antiferromagnetic domains in YMn2O5: a probe of the multiferroic mechanism

We employ neutron spherical polarimetry to determine the nature and population of the coexisting antiferromagnetic domains in multiferroic YMn2O5. By applying an electric field, we prove that reversing the electrical polarization results in the population inversion of two types of in-plane domains, related to each other by inversion. Our results are completely consistent with the exchange-striction mechanism of ferroelectricity, and support a unified model where cycloidal ordering is induced by coupling to the main magnetic order parameter.

Spin-orbit coupling and ion displacements in multiferroic TbMnO3

The magnetic and ferroelectric (FE) properties of TbMnO3 are investigated on the basis of relativistic density functional theory calculations. We show that, due to spin-orbit coupling, the spin-spiral plane of TbMnO3 can be either the bc or ab plane, but not the ac plane. As for the mechanism of FE polarization, our work reveals that the "pure electronic" model by Katsura, Nagaosa, and Balatsky is inadequate in predicting the absolute direction of FE polarization. Our work indicates that to determine the magnitude and the absolute direction of FE polarization in spin-spiral states, it is crucial to consider the displacements of the ions from their centrosymmetric positions.

First principles study of improper ferroelectricity in TbMnO3

We carry out a first-principles theoretical study of the magnetically induced polarization in orthorhombic TbMnO3, a prototypical material in which a cycloidal-spin structure generates an electric polarization via the spin-orbit interaction. We compute both the electronic and the lattice-mediated contributions to the polarization and find that the latter is strongly dominant. We analyze the spin-orbit induced forces and lattice displacements from both atomic and mode-decomposition viewpoints, and show that a simple model based on nearest Mn-Mn neighbor Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions is not able to account fully for the results. The direction and magnitude of our computed polarization are in good agreement with experiment.

Nature of Ho magnetism in multiferroic HoMnO3

Using x-ray resonant magnetic scattering and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, techniques that are element specific, we have elucidated the role of Ho3+ in multiferroic HoMnO3. In zero field, Ho3+ orders antiferromagnetically with moments aligned along the hexagonal c direction below 40 K, and undergoes a transition to another magnetic structure below 4.5 K. In applied electric fields of up to 1 x 10(7) V/m, the magnetic structure of Ho3+ remains unchanged.

Order parameters and phase diagram of multiferroic RMn2O5

The generic magnetic phase diagram of multiferroic RMn2O5 (with R=Y, Ho, Tb, Er, Tm), which allows different sequences of ordered magnetic structures for different R's and different control parameters, is described using order parameters which explicitly incorporate the magnetic symmetry. A phenomenological magnetoelectric coupling is used to explain why some of these magnetic phases are also ferroelectric. Several new experiments, which can test this theory, are proposed.

Magnetic and dielectric properties of Yb(Mn1-xAlx)O3 thin films

Hexagonal RMnO(3) is known as one of the candidates for multiferroic materials. We have focused on YbMnO(3), which has ferroelectricity along the c axis below 1000 K and antiferromagnetic ordering below 80 K. We have reported that magnetic, field-induced ferromagnetism in YbMnO(3) epitaxial thin films. In this study, we investigate the substitutional effect of the nonmagnetic element, Al, for Mn ions with triangular spin ordering on the ferroelectric and magnetic properties of YbMnO(3).

Correlation between spin helicity and an electric polarization vector in quantum-spin chain magnet LiCu2O2

Measurements of polarized neutron scattering were performed on a S=1/2 chain multiferroic LiCu2O2. In the ferroelectric ground state with the spontaneous polarization along the c axis, the existence of transverse spiral spin component in the bc plane was confirmed. When the direction of electric polarization is reversed, the vector spin chirality as defined by C_(ij)=S_(i)xS_(j) (i and j being the neighboring spin sites) is observed to be reversed, indicating that the spin-current model or the inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya mechanism is applicable even to this e_(g)-electron quantum-spin system. Differential scattering intensity of polarized neutrons shows a large discrepancy from that expected for the classical-spin bc-cycloidal structure, implying the effect of large quantum fluctuation.

Anomalous nernst effects in pyrochlore molybdates with spin chirality

The transverse thermoelectric (Nernst) effect on pyrochlore molybdates is investigated experimentally. In Nd(2)Mo(2)O(7) and Sm(2)Mo(2)O(7) with the spin chirality, the Nernst signal, which mostly arises from the transverse heat current (or equivalently the transverse Peltier coefficient alpha(xy)), shows a low-temperature (20-30 K) positive extremum, whereas it is absent in (Gd(0.95)Ca(0.05))(2)Mo(2)O(7) with no single-spin anisotropy of the rare-earth ion and hence with no spin chirality. The correlation between the Hall conductivity sigma(xy) and alpha(xy) in Nd(2)Mo(2)O(7) also indicates the spin chirality plays a significant role in the spontaneous (anomalous) Nernst effect.

Microscopic origin of magnetoelectric coupling in noncollinear multiferroics

An universal microscopic mechanism to understand the interplay between the electric and magnetic degrees of freedom in noncollinear multiferroics is developed. In a system with a strong spin-orbit coupling, we show that there is a pure electric mechanism that the ferroelectricity is generated by noncollinear magnetism through an electric current cancellation process, which saves the pure electric energy. This mechanism provides a simple estimation and sets a physical limitation of the value of ferroelectricity in noncollinear multiferroic materials.

Ferroelectricity in an ising chain magnet

We report discovery of collinear-magnetism-driven ferroelectricity in the Ising chain magnet Ca3Co2-xMn(x)O6 (x approximately 0.96). Neutron diffraction shows that Co2+ and Mn4+ ions alternating along the chains exhibit an up-up-down-down ( upward arrow upward arrow downward arrow downward arrow) magnetic order. The ferroelectricity results from the inversion symmetry breaking in the upward arrow upward arrow downward arrow downward arrow spin chain with an alternating charge order. Unlike in spiral magnetoelectrics where antisymmetric exchange coupling is active, the symmetry breaking in Ca3(Co,Mn)2O6 occurs through exchange striction associated with symmetric superexchange.

Manipulating the magnetic structure with electric fields in multiferroic ErMn2O5

Based on measurements of soft x-ray magnetic diffraction under in situ applied electric field, we report on significant manipulation and exciting of commensurate magnetic order in multiferroic ErMn2O5. The induced magnetic scattering intensity arises at the commensurate magnetic Bragg position whereas the initial magnetic signal almost persists. We demonstrate the possibility to imprint a magnetic response function in ErMn2O5 by applying an electric field.

Mechanisms of exchange bias with multiferroic BiFeO3 epitaxial thin films

We have combined neutron scattering and piezoresponse force microscopy to show that the exchange field in CoFeB/BiFeO_{3} heterostructures scales with the inverse of the ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic domain size of the BiFeO3 films, as expected from Malozemoff's model of exchange bias extended to multiferroics. Accordingly, polarized neutron reflectometry reveals the presence of uncompensated spins in the BiFeO3 film at the interface with CoFeB. In view of these results, we discuss possible strategies to switch the magnetization of a ferromagnet by an electric field using BiFeO3.

Carrier-mediated magnetoelectricity in complex oxide heterostructures

Increasing demands for high-density, stable nanoscale memory elements, as well as fundamental discoveries in the field of spintronics, have led to renewed interest in exploring the coupling between magnetism and electric fields. Although conventional magnetoelectric routes often result in weak responses, there is considerable current research activity focused on identifying new mechanisms for magnetoelectric coupling. Here we demonstrate a linear magnetoelectric effect that arises from a carrier-mediated mechanism, and is a universal feature of the interface between a dielectric and a spin-polarized metal. Using first-principles density functional calculations, we illustrate this effect at the SrRuO3/SrTiO3 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 behaviour, the interface displays a spatial coexistence of magnetism and dielectric polarization, suggesting a route to a new type of interfacial multiferroic.

Cotyledon organogenesis

The cotyledon represents one of the bases of classification within the plant kingdom, providing the name-giving difference between dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants. It is also a fundamental organ and there have been many reports of cotyledon mutants in many species. The use of these mutants where they have arisen in Arabidopsis has allowed us to unravel some of the complexities of embryonic patterning and cotyledon development with a high degree of resolution. The cloning of genes involved in cotyledon development from other species, together with physiological work, has supported the hypothesis that there exists a small number of orthologous gene hierarchies, particularly those involving auxin. The time is therefore appropriate for a summary of the regulation of cotyledon development gleaned from cotyledon mutants and regulatory pathways in the model species Arabidopsis and what can be inferred from cotyledon mutants in other species. There is an enormous variation in cotyledon form and development throughout the plant kingdom and this review focuses on debates about the phylogenetic relationship between mono- and dicotyledony, discusses gymnosperm cotyledon development and pleiocotyly in natural populations, and explores the limits of homology between cotyledons and leaves.

Spin phonon coupling in hexagonal multiferroic YMnO3

Inelastic neutron scattering measurements have been performed on YMnO3, aiming to study the interplay between spin and lattice degrees of freedom in this hexagonal multiferroic material. Our study provides evidence for a strong coupling between magnons and phonons, evidenced by the opening of a gap below T(N) in the dispersion of the transverse acoustic phonon mode polarized along the ferroelectric axis. The resulting upper phonon branch is found to lock on one of the spin-wave modes. These findings are discussed in terms of a possible hybridization between the two types of elementary excitations.

Density-functional characterization of the multiferroicity in spin spiral chain cuprates

The ferroelectricity of the spiral magnets LiCu2O2 and LiCuVO4 was examined by calculating the electric polarizations of their spin spiral states on the basis of density-functional theory with spin-orbit coupling. Our work unambiguously reveals that spin-orbit coupling is responsible for the ferroelectricity with the primary contribution from the spin-orbit coupling on the Cu sites, but the asymmetric density distribution responsible for the electric polarization occurs mainly around the O atoms. The electric polarization is calculated to be much greater for the ab-plane than for the bc-plane spin spiral. The observed spin-spiral plane is found to be consistent with the observed direction of the electric polarization for LiCuVO4, but inconsistent for LiCu2O2.