Electrically Switchable Longitudinal Nonlinear Conductivity in Magnetic Semiconductors

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Spintronics

Background:

• Electric-field data writing promises energy-efficient memory, but is limited by the narrow range of room-temperature magnetoelectric materials.
• Exploring alternative mechanisms for low-power memory is crucial for technological advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate a novel mechanism for electric-field data writing beyond the magnetoelectric effect.
• To demonstrate the potential of longitudinal nonlinear conductivity (LNC) for low-power memory applications.

Main Methods:

• Symmetry analysis to identify materials exhibiting electric-field-induced LNC.
• First-principles simulations and transport calculations to predict and verify LNC in specific materials.
• Experimental transport measurements to detect switched LNC.

Main Results:

• Electric fields can induce longitudinal nonlinear conductivity (LNC) in a broad range of magnetic materials, including ferromagnets, antiferromagnets, magnetoelectrics, and nonmagnetoelectrics.
• The induced LNC is electrically switchable by reversing the electric field direction.
• YFeO_{3} and CuFeS_{2}, both room-temperature antiferromagnets, are predicted to exhibit switchable LNC.

Conclusions:

• The discovery of electrically switchable LNC offers a new pathway for designing energy-efficient memory devices.
• This work expands research in nonlinear charge transport and provides a mechanism for low-power data storage.
• The proposed mechanism is applicable to a wide spectrum of magnetic materials, enhancing design flexibility.