TY - JOUR
KW - Electrochemistry
KW - Magnetic field
KW - Room temperature
KW - Kinetics
KW - Reaction kinetics
KW - Polarization
KW - Magnetism
KW - Electric field
KW - Article
KW - Priority journal
KW - Theoretical study
KW - Magnetization
KW - Rotation
KW - Thermodynamics
KW - Torque
KW - Electric conductivity
AU - J.T Heron
AU - J.L Bosse
AU - Q He
AU - Yuan Gao
AU - M Trassin
AU - L Ye
AU - J.D Clarkson
AU - C W Wang
AU - J F Liu
AU - S Salahuddin
AU - D.C Ralph
AU - D.G Schlom
AU - J Íñiguez
AU - B.D Huey
AU - Ramamoorthy Ramesh
AB - The technological appeal of multiferroics is the ability to control magnetism with electric field1-3. For devices to be useful, such control must be achieved at room temperature. The only single-phase multiferroicmaterial exhibiting unambiguousmagnetoelectric coupling at room temperature is BiFeO3 (refs 4 and 5). Its weak ferromagnetismarises fromthe canting of the antiferromagnetically aligned spins by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction6-9. Prior theory considered the symmetry of the thermodynamic ground state and concluded that direct 180-degree switching of theDMvector by the ferroelectric polarization was forbidden10,11. Instead, we examined the kinetics of the switching process, something not considered previously in theoretical work10-12. Here we show a deterministic reversal of theDMvector and cantedmoment using an electric field at roomtemperature. First-principles calculations reveal that the switching kinetics favours a two-step switching process. In each step the DMvector and polarization are coupled and 180-degree deterministic switching of magnetization hence becomes possible, in agreement with experimental observation. We exploit this switching to demonstrate energy-efficient control of a spin-valve device at room temperature. The energy per unit area required is approximately an order of magnitude less than that needed for spin-transfer torque switching13,14.Given that theDMinteraction is fundamental to singlephasemultiferroics andmagnetoelectrics3,9, our results suggest ways to engineermagnetoelectric switching and tailor technologically pertinent functionality for nanometre-scale, low-energy-consumption, non-volatile magnetoelectronics. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
BT - Nature
DO - 10.1038/nature14004
LA - eng
M1 - 7531
N1 - cited By 323
N2 - The technological appeal of multiferroics is the ability to control magnetism with electric field1-3. For devices to be useful, such control must be achieved at room temperature. The only single-phase multiferroicmaterial exhibiting unambiguousmagnetoelectric coupling at room temperature is BiFeO3 (refs 4 and 5). Its weak ferromagnetismarises fromthe canting of the antiferromagnetically aligned spins by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction6-9. Prior theory considered the symmetry of the thermodynamic ground state and concluded that direct 180-degree switching of theDMvector by the ferroelectric polarization was forbidden10,11. Instead, we examined the kinetics of the switching process, something not considered previously in theoretical work10-12. Here we show a deterministic reversal of theDMvector and cantedmoment using an electric field at roomtemperature. First-principles calculations reveal that the switching kinetics favours a two-step switching process. In each step the DMvector and polarization are coupled and 180-degree deterministic switching of magnetization hence becomes possible, in agreement with experimental observation. We exploit this switching to demonstrate energy-efficient control of a spin-valve device at room temperature. The energy per unit area required is approximately an order of magnitude less than that needed for spin-transfer torque switching13,14.Given that theDMinteraction is fundamental to singlephasemultiferroics andmagnetoelectrics3,9, our results suggest ways to engineermagnetoelectric switching and tailor technologically pertinent functionality for nanometre-scale, low-energy-consumption, non-volatile magnetoelectronics. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
PB - Nature Publishing Group
PY - 2014
SP - 370
EP - 373
T2 - Nature
TI - Deterministic switching of ferromagnetism at room temperature using an electric field
VL - 516
SN - 00280836
ER -