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Electric Field Switching of the Magnetic Anisotropy of a Ferromagnetic Layer Exchange Coupled to the Multiferroic Compound BiFeO3

D. Lebeugle, A. Mougin, M. Viret, D. Colson, and L. Ranno
Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 257601 – Published 14 December 2009
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Abstract

We report here that a Permalloy layer deposited on top of a multiferroic BiFeO3 single crystal acquires an easy magnetic direction along the propagation vector of the cycloidal arrangement of antiferromagnetic moments in BiFeO3. This anisotropy originates from a direct magnetic coupling with the canted spins forming the cycloid. Moreover, we show that an electric field-induced change of electric polarization is able to toggle the direction of anisotropy in the ferromagnet through the magnetoelectric effect, which links the antiferromagnetic spins to the local polarization in BiFeO3.

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  • Received 4 September 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.257601

©2009 American Physical Society

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Switching magnetism with electric fields

Published 14 December 2009

The magnetic state of a multiferroic device can be controlled purely by an electric field—a property that could greatly reduce overheating in data storage devices.

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Authors & Affiliations

D. Lebeugle1, A. Mougin1, M. Viret2,*, D. Colson2, and L. Ranno3

  • 1Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR 8502, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
  • 2Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé, CEA Saclay, DSM/IRAMIS/SPEC, URA CNRS 2464, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
  • 3Institut Néel, CNRS and Université Joseph Fourier, 38042 Grenoble, France

  • *michel.viret@cea.fr

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Issue

Vol. 103, Iss. 25 — 18 December 2009

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