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Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
Published on: May 29, 2018
Composite domain walls in a multiferroic perovskite ferrite
Yusuke Tokunaga1, Nobuo Furukawa, Hideaki Sakai
1Multiferroic Project, ERATO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. y-tokunaga@riken.jp
Nature Materials
|June 9, 2009
Summary
Researchers demonstrate that Gadolinium Iron Oxide (GdFeO3) exhibits controllable ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity. This multiferroic material shows promise for low-power spintronics due to its unique domain wall properties enabling electric and magnetic field control.
Area of Science:
- Materials Physics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid State Chemistry
Background:
- Controlling ferromagnetism with electric fields is crucial for low-power spintronics.
- Multiferroic materials, exhibiting both ferroelectric and magnetic orders, offer a promising route for this control.
- Gadolinium Iron Oxide (GdFeO3), a perovskite oxide, is investigated for its multiferroic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multiferroic properties of GdFeO3.
- To explore the mutual control of electric and magnetic properties in GdFeO3.
- To understand the underlying mechanism for this mutual controllability.
Main Methods:
- Experimental investigation of GdFeO3's magnetic and ferroelectric ground states.
- Application of external magnetic and electric fields to probe material response.
- Analysis of domain wall interactions and their influence on material properties.
Main Results:
- GdFeO3 is confirmed as a weak ferromagnet with a ferroelectric ground state.
- Ferroelectric polarization is generated via exchange striction between Gd and Fe spins.
- Successful demonstration of mutual control: electric field controls magnetization, and magnetic field controls polarization.
Conclusions:
- GdFeO3 exhibits unprecedented mutual controllability of electricity and magnetism.
- This control is attributed to composite domain wall clamping.
- The findings suggest potential applications of GdFeO3 in practical multiferroic devices.
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