Electrical control of large magnetization reversal in a helimagnet

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the electric field-driven large and non-volatile reversal of magnetization in a multiferroic helimagnet, offering a promising pathway for electric control of magnetic states at relatively high temperatures.

Contribution

It reports the first large, reversible, and non-volatile magnetization switching by electric field in a helimagnet at temperatures up to 150 K.

Findings

Magnetization can be quasi-linearly modulated by electric fields between +- 2 MV/m.

Reversal of magnetization is achieved with a change of about 2 μB per formula unit.

Non-volatile remanent magnetization states depend on electric field history.

Abstract

In spite of both technical and fundamental importance, reversal of a macroscopic magnetization by an electric field (E) has been limitedly realized and remains as one of great challenges. Here, we report the realization of modulation and reversal of large magnetization (M) by E in a multiferroic crystal Ba0.5Sr1.5Zn2(Fe0.92Al0.08)12O22, in which a transverse conical spin state exhibits a remanent M and electric polarization below ~150 K. Upon sweeping E between +- 2 MV/m, M is quasi-linearly varied between +- 2 {\mu}B/f.u., resulting in the M reversal. Moreover, the remanent M shows non-volatile changes of {\Delta}M = +- 0.15 {\mu}B/f.u., depending on the history of the applied electric fields. The large modulation and the non-volatile two-states of M at zero magnetic field are observable up to ~150 K where the transverse conical spin state is stabilized. Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements provide microscopic evidences that the electric field and the magnetic field play an equivalent role, rendering the volume of magnetic domains change accompanied by the domain wall motion. The present findings point to a new pathway for realizing the large magnetization reversal by electric fields at fairly high temperatures.