Linear Magnetoelectric Effect by Orbital Magnetism

2012/07/31 by Andrea Scaramucci, Eric Bousquet, Michael Fechner +2 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.mtrl-sci

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.109.197203

5 pages and 2 figures, plus 3 pages and 1 figure of supplementary material; 1 section added in supplementary material, 1 additional author, 1 reference updated

arxiv created 2012/08/01 · arxiv updated 2013/05/29

Abstract

We use symmetry analysis and first principles calculations to show that the linear magnetoelectric effect can originate from the response of orbital magnetic moments to the polar distortions induced by an applied electric field. Using LiFePO4 as a model compound we show that spin-orbit coupling partially lifts the quenching of the 3d orbitals and causes small orbital magnetic moments (μ_(L)≈ 0.3 μ_B) parallel to the spins of the Fe²⁺ ions. An applied electric field E modifies the size of these orbital magnetic moments inducing a net magnetization linear in E.

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• Electromagnetic response of two interacting topological insulator spheres in external fields
• Spin-current model of electric polarization with the tensor gyromagnetic ratio

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