Magnetoelectric effect in organic molecular solids

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new way to realize the magnetoelectric effect in organic molecular solids, highlighting a hidden ferroic order and expanding potential material applications beyond transition-metal compounds.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of the magnetoelectric effect in organic molecular solids with a novel guiding principle based on spin-charge composites, without relying on transition-metal elements.

Findings

Linear ME effect predicted in ordered and disordered states

Hidden ferroic order of spin-charge composites identified

Potential for flexible, lightweight multifunctional materials

Abstract

The Magnetoelectric (ME) effect in solids is a prominent cross correlation phenomenon, in which the electric field (${\bm E}$) controls the magnetization (${\bm M}$) and the magnetic field (${\bm H}$) controls the electric polarization (${\bm P}$). A rich variety of ME effects and their potential in practical applications have been investigated so far within the transition-metal compounds. Here, we report a possible way to realize the ME effect in organic molecular solids, in which two molecules build a dimer unit aligned on a lattice site. The linear ME effect is predicted in a long-range ordered state of spins and electric dipoles, as well as in a disordered state. One key of the ME effect is a hidden ferroic order of the spin-charge composite object. We provide a new guiding principle of the ME effect in materials without transition-metal elements, which may lead to flexible and lightweight multifunctional materials.