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arXiv · 0802.2915

Electric-field-induced spin-flop in BiFeO3 single crystals at room-temperature

D. Lebeugle·D. Colson·A. Forget·M. Viret·A. M. Bataille·A. Gukasov
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Abstract

Bismuth ferrite, BiFeO3, is the only known room-temperature 'multiferroic' material. We demonstrate here, using neutron scattering measurements in high quality single crystals, that the antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric orders are intimately coupled. Initially in a single ferroelectric state, our crystals have a canted antiferromagnetic structure describing a unique cycloid. Under electrical poling, polarisation re-orientation induces a spin flop. We argue here that the coupling between the two orders may be stronger in the bulk than that observed in thin films where the cycloid is absent.

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D. Lebeugle, D. Colson, A. Forget, M. Viret, A. M. Bataille, A. Gukasov. 2008-02-20. Electric-field-induced spin-flop in BiFeO3 single crystals at room-temperature. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.100.227602

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