Magnetoelectric coupling and exchange bias effects in multiferroic NdCrO3. (24th March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Indra, A; Dey, K; Midya, A; Mandal, P; Gutowski, O; Rütt, U; Majumdar, S; Giri, S
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 28:Number 16(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-03-24
• Subjects: multiferroics -- magnetoelectric coupling -- exchange bias; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Vaste stoffen; Vloeistoffen; Natuurkunde; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/28/16/166005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-8984

Abstract

Abstract: We report ferroelectricity around ∼88 K that appears well below T N (∼25 K), unlike other members of R CrO3 series. A synchrotron diffraction study suggests that the occurrence of ferroelectricity in NdCrO3 is coupled to the structural transformation from centrosymmetric Pnma to a non-centrosymmetric Pna21 space group. A strong magnetoelectric coupling is observed in the electric polarization [ P ( T )]. This coupling is significantly influenced by the magnetic field cooling effect, suggesting an exchange bias effect in P ( T ). This exchange bias effect is also revealed by the systematic shift of the magnetic hysteresis loops below T N . The rare occurrence of an exchange bias effect in both the magnetic and electric polarizations associated with a strong magnetoelectric coupling is of fundamental interest, as well as being attractive for technological applications close to liquid nitrogen temperature.