Tuning Electric Polarization via Exchange Striction Interaction in CaMn$_7$O$_{12}$ by Sr-Doping

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that Sr-doping in CaMn$_7$O$_{12}$ can tune its magnetically induced electric polarization by modifying exchange-striction interactions, providing insights into controlling multiferroic properties in complex magnetic materials.

Contribution

The paper presents experimental evidence that Sr-doping reduces electric polarization in CaMn$_7$O$_{12}$ by altering exchange-striction, clarifying the origin of giant polarization in this multiferroic compound.

Findings

Sr-doping decreases the Mn$^{3+}$--O--Mn$^{4+}$ bond angle.

Reduction in exchange-striction weakens electric polarization.

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya effect influences polarization direction.

Abstract

Magnetoelectric (ME) materials displaying strong magnetically induced polarization have attracted considerable interest due to their potential applications in spintronics and various fast electrically controlled magnetic devices. CaMn$_7$O$_{12}$ (CMO) stands out for its giant spin-induced ferroelectric polarization. However, the origin of the induced electric polarization in CMO remains highly controversial and continues to be a subject of ongoing debate. In this paper, through room temperature X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, and thermally stimulated depolarizing current (TSDC) measurements, we provide experimental evidence for a route to tune the magnetically induced polarization by modifying the exchange-striction in CMO via Sr-doping. Our findings demonstrate that the large and broad current peaks observed near the first magnetic phase transition ($T_N1 \sim 90$ K) indicate contributions to the TSDC density from both extrinsic thermally stimulated depolarization processes and intrinsic pyroelectric current arising from magnetically induced polarization changes. We suggest that this reduction in induced electric polarization in CMO originates from the increase in the Mn$^{3+}$ -- O -- Mn$^{4+}$ bond angle due to Sr$^{2+}$ doping, weakening the exchange-striction interaction. Meanwhile, the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) effect determines the direction of the induced electric polarization. Our result sheds light on understanding the intriguing giant-induced polarization in CMO and similar compounds with complex magnetic structures.