Magnetoelectro-elastic control of magnetism in an artificial multiferroic

TL;DR

This study demonstrates electric field control of magnetism in an artificial multiferroic heterostructure through strain and charge effects, revealing three remanent magnetic states at room temperature.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence and theoretical analysis of magnetoelectro-elastic coupling at multiferroic interfaces, combining spectroscopy and ab-initio calculations.

Findings

Three electric field-driven remanent magnetization states achieved at room temperature.

Strain and charge both contribute to magnetic anisotropy changes.

Theoretical calculations elucidate the mechanisms of magnetoelectro-elastic coupling.

Abstract

We study the coexistence of strain- and charge-mediated magnetoelectric coupling in a cobalt (0-7 nm) wedge on ferroelectric [Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$/Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$]$_{0.68}$-[PbTiO$_{3}$]$_{0.32}$ (011) using surface-sensitive x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy at the Co L$_{3,2}$ edges. Three distinct electric field driven remanent magnetization states can be set in the Co film at room temperature. Ab-initio density functional theory calculations unravel the relative contributions of both strain and charge to the observed magnetic anisotropy changes illustrating magnetoelectro-elastic coupling at artificial multiferroic interfaces.