title: Switching magnetization by 180° with an electric field.
abstract: Magnetoelectric coupling allows for manipulating the magnetization by an external electric field or the electrical polarization by an external magnetic field. Here, we propose a mechanism to electrically induce 180° magnetization switching combining two effects: the magnetoelectric coupling at a multiferroic interface and magnetic interlayer exchange coupling. By means of first-principles methods, we investigate a ferroelectric layer in contact with a Fe/Au/Fe trilayer. The calculations show that the interface magnetism is strongly coupled to the ferroelectric layer. Furthermore, under certain conditions a reversal of polarization causes a sign reversal of the interlayer exchange coupling which is results in a 180° switching of the free layer magnetization. We argue that this magnetoelectric coupling mechanism is very robust and can find applications in magnetic data storage.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany. michael.fechner@mat.ethz.ch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fechner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostanin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bibes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mertig