Concurrent transition of ferroelectric and magnetic ordering near room temperature

Publication Type
Journal Article
Authors
DOI
10.1038/ncomms1576
Abstract
Strong spin-lattice coupling in condensed matter gives rise to intriguing physical phenomena such as colossal magnetoresistance and giant magnetoelectric effects. The phenomenological hallmark of such a strong spin-lattice coupling is the manifestation of a large anomaly in the crystal structure at the magnetic transition temperature. Here we report that the magnetic Néel temperature of the multiferroic compound BiFeO3 is suppressed to around room temperature by heteroepitaxial misfit strain. Remarkably, the ferroelectric state undergoes a first-order transition to another ferroelectric state simultaneously with the magnetic transition temperature. Our findings provide a unique example of a concurrent magnetic and ferroelectric transition at the same temperature among proper ferroelectrics, taking a step toward room temperature magnetoelectric applications. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Notes
cited By 110
Journal
Nature Communications
Volume
2
Year of Publication
2011
Number
1
ISSN Number
20411723
Keywords
Research Areas
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