Electric-field-induced spin disorder-to-order transition near a multiferroic triple phase point

Byung Kweon Jang, Jin Hong Lee, Kanghyun Chu, Pankaj Sharma, Gi Yeop Kim, Kyung Tae Ko, Kwang Eun Kim, Yong Jin Kim, Kyungrok Kang, Han Byul Jang, Hoyoung Jang, Min Hwa Jung, Kyung Song, Tae Yeong Koo, Si Young Choi, Jan Seidel, Yoon Hee Jeong, Hendrik Ohldag, Jun Sik Lee, Chan Ho Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The emergence of a triple phase point in a two-dimensional parameter space (such as pressure and temperature) can offer unforeseen opportunities for the coupling of two seemingly independent order parameters. On the basis of this, we demonstrate the electric control of magnetic order by manipulating chemical pressure: lanthanum substitution in the antiferromagnetic ferroelectric BiFeO 3 . Our demonstration relies on the finding that a multiferroic triple phase point of a single spin-disordered phase and two spin-ordered phases emerges near room temperature in Bi 0.9 La 0.1 FeO 3 ferroelectric thin films. By using spatially resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we provide direct evidence that the electric poling of a particular region of the compound near the triple phase point results in an antiferromagnetic phase while adjacent unpoled regions remain magnetically disordered, opening a promising avenue for magnetoelectric applications at room temperature.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)189-196
Number of pages8
JournalNature Physics
Volume13
Issue number2
Early online date3 Oct 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Ferroelectrics and multiferroics
  • Magnetic properties and materials
  • Phase transitions and critical phenomena

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