Electric-field control of magnetic order above room temperature.
Controlling magnetism by means of electric fields is a key issue for the future development of low-power spintronics. Progress has been made in the electrical control of magnetic anisotropy, domain structure, spin polarization or critical temperatures. However, the ability to turn on and off robust ferromagnetism at room temperature and above has remained elusive. Here we use ferroelectricity in BaTiO3 crystals to tune the sharp metamagnetic transition temperature of epitaxially grown FeRh films and electrically drive a transition between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic order with only a few volts, just above room temperature. The detailed analysis of the data in the light of first-principles calculations indicate that the phenomenon is mediated by both strain and field effects from the BaTiO3. Our results correspond to a magnetoelectric coupling larger than previous reports by at least one order of magnitude and open new perspectives for the use of ferroelectrics in magnetic storage and spintronics.
1] Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France [2].
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Cherifi
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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Ivanovskaya
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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Phillips
Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR 8502, Orsay 91405, France.
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Zobelli
Laboratoire SPMS, UMR 8580, Ecole Centrale Paris-CNRS, Grande voie des vignes, Châtenay-Malabry 92290, France.
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Infante
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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Jacquet
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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Garcia
1] Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France [2] Université d'Evry-Val d'Essonne, Bd. F. Mitterrand, Evry cedex 91025, France.
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Fusil
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE 1 7RU, UK.
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Briddon
Laboratoire SPMS, UMR 8580, Ecole Centrale Paris-CNRS, Grande voie des vignes, Châtenay-Malabry 92290, France.
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Guiblin
Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR 8502, Orsay 91405, France.
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Mougin
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialen und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, Berlin 12489, Germany.
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Ünal
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialen und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, Berlin 12489, Germany.
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Kronast
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialen und Energie, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, Berlin 12489, Germany.
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Valencia
Laboratoire SPMS, UMR 8580, Ecole Centrale Paris-CNRS, Grande voie des vignes, Châtenay-Malabry 92290, France.
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Dkhil
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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Barthélémy
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, 1 av. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau & Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France.
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