Electric field switching of antiferromagnetic domains in YMn2O5: a probe of the multiferroic mechanism

TL;DR

This study uses neutron polarimetry to show that electric fields can switch antiferromagnetic domains in YMn2O5, supporting the exchange striction mechanism of multiferroicity.

Contribution

It provides direct experimental evidence linking electric field-induced domain switching to the exchange striction mechanism in a multiferroic material.

Findings

Electric field reverses domain populations in YMn2O5.

Results support exchange striction as the mechanism for ferroelectricity.

Demonstrates coupling between magnetic order and electric polarization.

Abstract

We employ neutron spherical polarimetry to determine the nature and population of the coexisting antiferromagnetic domains in multiferroic YMn2O5. By applying an electric field, we prove that reversing the electrical polarization results in the population inversion of two types of in-plane domains, related to each other by inversion. Our results are completely consistent with the exchange striction mechanism of ferroelectricity, and support a unified model where cycloidal ordering is induced by coupling to the main magnetic order parameter.