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Linear magnetoelectric effect in göthite, α-FeOOH
N V Ter-Oganessian1, A A Guda2, V P Sakhnenko3
1Institute of Physics, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russian Federation. nikita.teroganessian@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|November 29, 2017
Summary
Goethite, or α-FeOOH, is a linear magnetoelectric material below 400 K. Its electric polarization changes or is suppressed by magnetic fields, making it a widespread magnetoelectric resource.
Area of Science:
- Solid State Physics
- Materials Science
- Geophysics
Background:
- Goethite (α-FeOOH) is an abundant iron oxyhydroxide mineral.
- Magnetoelectric materials exhibit coupled magnetic and electric properties.
- Understanding the magnetoelectric behavior of common minerals is crucial for novel applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the magnetoelectric properties of goethite (α-FeOOH).
- To determine the conditions under which goethite exhibits magnetoelectricity.
- To quantify the magnetoelectric response of goethite.
Main Methods:
- Symmetry analysis
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations
- Monte Carlo simulations
Main Results:
- Goethite is confirmed as a linear magnetoelectric below its Néel temperature of 400 K.
- A magnetic field-induced spin-flop transition alters or suppresses electric polarization.
- The estimated magnetoelectric coefficient is 0.57 μC·m-2·T-1.
Conclusions:
- Goethite is a naturally abundant and widespread linear magnetoelectric material.
- The observed magnetoelectric effect is linked to spin-flop transitions.
- Goethite holds potential for applications in magnetoelectric devices.
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