Magnetoelectric Coupling and Electric Control of Magnetization in Ferromagnet-Ferroelectric-Metal Superlattices

TL;DR

This paper proposes ferromagnet-ferroelectric-metal superlattices as a means to achieve large room-temperature magnetoelectric effects, driven by spin-dependent electron screening, enabling electric control of magnetization.

Contribution

It introduces a new superlattice structure that exhibits magnetoelectric coupling via spin-dependent screening, independent of specific chemical bonding.

Findings

Predicted large room-temperature magnetoelectric effect.

Demonstrated electric control of magnetization.

Identified spin-dependent electron screening as the key mechanism.

Abstract

Ferromagnet-ferroelectric-metal superlattices are proposed to realize the large room-temperature magnetoelectric effect. Spin dependent electron screening is the fundamental mechanism at the microscopic level. We also predict an electric control of magnetization in this structure. The naturally broken inversion symmetry in our tri-component structure introduces a magnetoelectric coupling energy of $P M^2$. Such a magnetoelectric coupling effect is general in ferromagnet-ferroelectric heterostructures, independent of particular chemical or physical bonding, and will play an important role in the field of multiferroics.