Electric-field-induced magnetic anisotropy in a nanomagnet investigated on the atomic scale.
Magnetoelectric coupling is studied using the electric field between the tip of a spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope and a nanomagnet. Our experiments show that a negative (positive) electric field stabilizes (destabilizes) in-plane magnetization against thermal agitation, whereas it destabilizes (stabilizes) out-of-plane magnetization. We conclude that the electric field E induces a uniaxial anisotropy that favors in-plane magnetization for E<0 and out-of-plane magnetization for E>0. Our experiments demonstrate magnetic manipulation on the atomic scale without exploiting spin or charge currents.
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Sonntag
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Hermenau
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Schlenhoff
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Friedlein
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Krause
Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg, Germany.
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Wiesendanger