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Coupled multiferroic domain switching in the canted conical spin spiral system Mn2GeO4

Author

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  • T. Honda

    (Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University
    Condensed Matter Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization)

  • J. S. White

    (Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI))

  • A. B. Harris

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • L. C. Chapon

    (Institut Laue-Langevin)

  • A. Fennell

    (Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI))

  • B. Roessli

    (Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI))

  • O. Zaharko

    (Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI))

  • Y. Murakami

    (Condensed Matter Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization)

  • M. Kenzelmann

    (Laboratory for Scientific Developments and Novel Materials (LDM), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI))

  • T. Kimura

    (Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University
    Present address: Department of Advanced Materials Science, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan)

Abstract

Despite remarkable progress in developing multifunctional materials, spin-driven ferroelectrics featuring both spontaneous magnetization and electric polarization are still rare. Among such ferromagnetic ferroelectrics are conical spin spiral magnets with a simultaneous reversal of magnetization and electric polarization that is still little understood. Such materials can feature various multiferroic domains that complicates their study. Here we study the multiferroic domains in ferromagnetic ferroelectric Mn2GeO4 using neutron diffraction, and show that it features a double-Q conical magnetic structure that, apart from trivial 180o commensurate magnetic domains, can be described by ferromagnetic and ferroelectric domains only. We show unconventional magnetoelectric couplings such as the magnetic-field-driven reversal of ferroelectric polarization with no change of spin-helicity, and present a phenomenological theory that successfully explains the magnetoelectric coupling. Our measurements establish Mn2GeO4 as a conceptually simple multiferroic in which the magnetic-field-driven flop of conical spin spirals leads to the simultaneous reversal of magnetization and electric polarization.

Suggested Citation

  • T. Honda & J. S. White & A. B. Harris & L. C. Chapon & A. Fennell & B. Roessli & O. Zaharko & Y. Murakami & M. Kenzelmann & T. Kimura, 2017. "Coupled multiferroic domain switching in the canted conical spin spiral system Mn2GeO4," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15457
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15457
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    Cited by:

    1. Shun Akatsuka & Sebastian Esser & Shun Okumura & Ryota Yambe & Rinsuke Yamada & Moritz M. Hirschmann & Seno Aji & Jonathan S. White & Shang Gao & Yoshichika Onuki & Taka-hisa Arima & Taro Nakajima & M, 2024. "Non-coplanar helimagnetism in the layered van-der-Waals metal DyTe3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

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