Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
Ferroelectric phase transition in multiferroic Ge1-x Mn x Te driven by local lattice distortions
Dominik Kriegner1, Jürgen Furthmüller2, Raimund Kirchschlager3
1Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Charles University in Prague, Ke Karlovu 5, 121 16 Praha 2, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
The evolution of local ferroelectric lattice distortions in multiferroic Ge1-x Mn x Te is studied by x-ray diffraction, x-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory. We show that the anion/cation displacements smoothly decrease with increasing Mn content, thereby reducing the ferroelectric transition from 700 to 100 K at x = 0.5, where the ferromagnetic Curie temperature reaches its maximum. First principles calculations explain this quenching by different local bond contributions of the Mn 3d shell compared to the Ge 4s shell in excellent quantitative agreement with the experiments.
Related Concept Videos
Ferromagnetism
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
Trends in Lattice Energy: Ion Size and Charge

