Control of multiferroic domains by external electric fields in TbMnO3

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how external electric fields can manipulate multiferroic domains in TbMnO3, using dielectric and neutron diffraction techniques to measure hysteresis and coercive fields.

Contribution

It provides new experimental insights into controlling multiferroic domains with electric fields in TbMnO3, combining dielectric and neutron diffraction methods.

Findings

Coercive fields increase upon cooling.

Dielectric and neutron diffraction methods yield comparable coercive fields.

Electric fields of several kV/mm can switch multiferroic domains.

Abstract

The control of multiferroic domains through external electric fields has been studied by dielectric measurements and by polarized neutron diffraction on single-crystalline TbMnO$_3$. Full hysteresis cycles were recorded by varying an external field of the order of several kV/mm and by recording the chiral magnetic scattering as well as the charge in a sample capacitor. Both methods yield comparable coercive fields that increase upon cooling.