title: Electric-field-induced spin flop in BiFeO3 single crystals at room temperature.
abstract: Bismuth ferrite, BiFeO3, is the only known room-temperature magnetic ferroelectric material. We demonstrate here, using neutron scattering measurements in high quality single crystals, that the antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric order parameters are intimately coupled. Initially in a single ferroelectric state, our crystals have a canted antiferromagnetic structure describing a unique cycloid. Under electrical poling, polarization reorientation induces a spin flop. We argue here that the coupling between the two orders may be stronger in the bulk than in thin films where the cycloid is absent.
authors.affiliation: Service de Physique de l'Etat Condensé, DSM/IRAMIS, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lebeugle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forget
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viret
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bataille
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gukasov