Abstract
The direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect mediated by lattice strains induced in a ferroelectric film by a ferromagnetic substrate is evaluated using first-principles-based calculations. To that end, the strain sensitivity of ferroelectric polarization and the film permittivity are calculated as a function of the in-plane biaxial strain for Pb(ZrTi)O films under various depolarizing fields. It is found that the ME voltage coefficient varies nonmonotonically with this strain and may reach giant values exceeding 100 V cm Oe over a strain range that can be controlled through the electrical boundary conditions.
- Received 21 September 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.140401
©2012 American Physical Society