Electric polarization of magnetic textures: new horizons of micromagnetism

TL;DR

This paper explores how electric polarization can be induced by inhomogeneous magnetic textures like domain walls and vortices in magnetic dielectrics, with implications for low-power spintronic applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates that electric polarization mechanisms known in multiferroics also apply to magnetic dielectrics with inhomogeneous magnetization, supported by experiments and simulations.

Findings

Electric field-driven domain wall motion observed in iron garnet films.

Theoretically predicted and numerically simulated electric field-induced vortex nucleation.

Potential for electric control of micromagnetic structures in spintronic devices.

Abstract

A common scenario of magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroics is the electric polarization induced by spatially modulated spin structures. It is shown in this paper that the same mechanism works in magnetic dielectrics with inhomogeneous magnetization distribution: the domain walls and magnetic vortexes can be the sources of electric polarization. The electric field driven magnetic domain wall motion is observed in iron garnet films. The electric field induced nucleation of vortex state of magnetic nanodots is theoretically predicted and numerically simulated. From the practical point of view the electric field control of micromagnetic structures is promising for applications in low-power-consumption spintronic and magnonic devices.