Electric control of magnetism at the Fe/BaTiO? interface.

ABSTRACT: Interfacial magnetoelectric coupling is a viable path to achieve electrical writing of magnetic information in spintronic devices. For the prototypical Fe/BaTiO? system, only tiny changes of the interfacial Fe magnetic moment upon reversal of the BaTiO? dielectric polarization have been predicted so far. Here, by using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in combination with high-resolution electron microscopy and first principles calculations, we report on an undisclosed physical mechanism for interfacial magnetoelectric coupling in the Fe/BaTiO? system. At this interface, an ultrathin oxidized iron layer exists, whose magnetization can be electrically and reversibly switched on and off at room temperature by reversing the BaTiO? polarization. The suppression/recovery of interfacial ferromagnetism results from the asymmetric effect that ionic displacements in BaTiO? produces on the exchange coupling constants in the interfacial-oxidized Fe layer. The observed giant magnetoelectric response holds potential for optimizing interfacial magnetoelectric coupling in view of efficient, low-power spintronic devices.

SUBMITTER: Radaelli G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3942656 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature