Abstract
The possibility of a magnetic field controlling the chirality of matter has been debated for a long time. Here, we report the successful induction of chirality in the noncentrosymmetric canted antiferromagnet, , by application of a low intensity static magnetic field. The chirality is reversed by a 90° rotation of the direction of the magnetic field. The induction of chirality by a magnetic field gives rise to a gigantic enhancement of magnetochiral dichroism in this material. The ability to switch handedness in combination with this large magnetochiral optical effect allows us to design new optical devices such as a magnetically controllable isolator.
- Received 23 April 2008
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.117402
©2008 American Physical Society
Synopsis
Chiral contortions
Published 15 September 2008
Scientists in Japan have discovered a material with magnetically switchable optical dichroism that is four orders of magnitude larger than what has been seen before.
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