Flexomagnetoelectric Interaction in Cubic, Tetragonal and Orthorhombic Crystals

TL;DR

This paper develops a phenomenological theory of flexomagnetoelectric coupling in cubic, tetragonal, and orthorhombic crystals, highlighting the importance of crystallographic point groups and proposing experimental verification methods.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework for flexomagnetoelectric effects considering crystal symmetry and suggests experimental approaches for validation.

Findings

Crystallographic point group type significantly influences flexomagnetoelectric coupling.

Chirality of crystal structure plays a secondary role.

New features of flexomagnetoelectric effects are predicted in cyclic crystal groups.

Abstract

The phenomenological theory of the flexomagnetoelectric coupling in crystals of the cubic, tetragonal and orthorhombic crystal systems has been suggested. Secondary role of the crystal structure chirality was shown. Oppositely, significant role of the crystallographic point group type (symmetric, alternating, dihedral or cyclic) in the flexomagnetoelectric coupling has been derived. It was shown, that conceptually new features of the flexomagnetoelectric effects are expected in the crystals of the cyclic groups (crystal classes 4/m, 4^- and 4). Proposed verification of the theory is investigation of the domain wall bend details (changes of the effect symmetry). Special case of such verification near the compensation point is suggested. First-principles mechanisms of the flexomagnetoelectric interaction were discussed.