Magnetoelectric Cr_2 O_3 and relativity theory

TL;DR

This paper explores how relativity theory enhances understanding of the magnetoelectric effect in Cr_2 O_3, revealing a temperature-dependent pseudoscalar related to fundamental physics and engineering concepts.

Contribution

It introduces a relativistic framework for analyzing the magnetoelectric effect in Cr_2 O_3 and identifies a pseudoscalar linked to various physical theories.

Findings

Identification of a temperature-dependent pseudoscalar in Cr_2 O_3

Relation of the pseudoscalar to axion and electromagnetic concepts

Proposal to tabulate dimensionless magnetoelectric moduli

Abstract

Relativity theory is useful for understanding the phenomenology of the magnetoelectric effect of the antiferromagnet chromium sesquioxide Cr_2 O_3 in two respects: (i) One gets a clear idea about the physical dimensions of the electromagnetic quantities involved, in particular about the dimensions of the magnetoelectric moduli that we suggest to tabulate in future as dimensionless relative quantities; (ii) one can recognize and extract a temperature dependent, 4-dimensional pseudoscalar from the data of magnetoelectric experiments with Cr_2 O_3. This pseudoscalar piece of Cr_2 O_3 is odd under time reflections and parity transformations and is structurally related ("isomorphic") to the gyrator of electric network theory, the axion of particle physics, and the perfect electromagnetic conductor of electrical engineering.