Electric field control of magnetization reversal in FeGa/PMN-PT thin films

Abstract

Artificial magnetoelectric materials possess huge potential to be utilized in the development of energy efficient spintronic devices. In the past decade, the search for a good ferromagnetic/ferroelectric combination having the ability to create high magnetoelectric coupling, created new insights and also new challenges. In this report, the magnetoelectric effect is studied in the FeGa/PMN-PT(001) multiferroic heterostructures in the presence of electric fields via strain-mediated effects. The formation of magnetic anisotropy in FeGa is observed after changing the polarization of PMN-PT to out-of-plane orientations. The magnetic domain structures forming during the magnetization reversal were studied in compressive, tensile and remanent strained states. The changes in the magnetic properties were reversible after each cycling of the electric field polarity, hence creating a non-volatile system. The control of magnetization switching sustained by an ON–OFF electric field makes our multiferroic heterostructure suitable for application in low-power magnetoelectric based memory applications.

Keywords

• magnetoelectric effect
• magnetic domain
• strain
• magneto-optic Kerr effect