Electrically assisted magnetic recording in multiferroic nanostructures

We demonstrate the room-temperature control of magnetization reversal with an electric field in an epitaxial nanostructure consisting of ferrimagnetlc nanopillars embedded in a ferroelectric matrix. This was achieved by combining a weak, uniform magnetic field with the switching electric field to selectively switch pillars with only one magnetic configuration. On the basis of these experimental results, we propose to use an electric field to assist magnetic recording in multiferroic systems with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. © 2007 American Chemical Society.