2024/10/29 by Pratap Pal, Jonathon Schad, Pal, Pratap +30
Materials Science · #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Multiferroics and related materials #Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2410.22447
openalex publication_date 2024/10/29 · openalex created_date 2024/11/14 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Deterministic control of coupled ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic orders remains a central challenge in multiferroics, limiting their integration into functional magnetoelectrics and magnonic-devices. (111)pc BiFeO3 with a robust single spin cycloid, offers direct magnetoelectric-coupling and a platform for efficient spin transport, yet multi-magnetic domains and ferroelectric-fatigue have prevented reproducible control. Here, we show that anisotropic-compressive in-plane strain stabilizes a single antiferromagnetic domain with unique spin-cycloid vector, by breaking the symmetry of the (111)pc plane. Epitaxial BiFeO3 films grown on orthorhombic NdGaO3 (011)o [(111)pc] substrates impose the required anisotropic in-plane strain and stabilizes single antiferromagnetic domain, as confirmed through direct imaging with scanning NV microscopy and non-resonant-x-ray-magnetic-scattering. Remarkably, these engineered films exhibit deterministic and non-volatile 180° switching of ferroelectric and single antiferromagnetic domains over 1,000 cycles. The monodomain state also enables anisotropic and threefold enhanced magnon transport with reduced scattering. Thus, symmetry-designed (111)pc monodomain BiFeO3 offers a robust platform for advanced magnetoelectric and magnonic applications.