Antiferromagnetic textures in BiFeO3 controlled by strain and electric field

A. Haykal, J. Fischer, W. Akhtar, J. Y. Chauleau, D. Sando, A. Finco, F. Godel, Y. A. Birkhölzer, C. Carrétéro, N. Jaouen, M. Bibes, M. Viret, S. Fusil*, V. Jacques, V. Garcia

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

88 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Antiferromagnetic thin films are currently generating considerable excitement for low dissipation magnonics and spintronics. However, while tuneable antiferromagnetic textures form the backbone of functional devices, they are virtually unknown at the submicron scale. Here we image a wide variety of antiferromagnetic spin textures in multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films that can be tuned by strain and manipulated by electric fields through room-temperature magnetoelectric coupling. Using piezoresponse force microscopy and scanning NV magnetometry in self-organized ferroelectric patterns of BiFeO3, we reveal how strain stabilizes different types of non-collinear antiferromagnetic states (bulk-like and exotic spin cycloids) as well as collinear antiferromagnetic textures. Beyond these local-scale observations, resonant elastic X-ray scattering confirms the existence of both types of spin cycloids. Finally, we show that electric-field control of the ferroelectric landscape induces transitions either between collinear and non-collinear states or between different cycloids, offering perspectives for the design of reconfigurable antiferromagnetic spin textures on demand.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1704
JournalNature communications
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Apr 2020

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