Browsing by Author "Gajek, M."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Conduction at domain walls in oxide multiferroics
(2009-03-01)
Seidel, J.
;
Martin, L. W.
;
He, Q.
;
Zhan, Q.
;
Chu, Y. -H.
Domain walls may play an important role in future electronic devices, given their small size as well as the fact that their location can be controlled. Here, we report the observation of room-temperature electronic conductivity at ferroelectric domain walls in the insulating multiferroic BiFeO(3). The origin and nature of the observed conductivity are probed using a combination of conductive atomic force microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and first-principles density functional computations. Our analyses indicate that the conductivity correlates with structurally driven changes in both the electrostatic potential and the local electronic structure, which shows a decrease in the bandgap at the domain wall. Additionally, we demonstrate the potential for device applications of such conducting nanoscale features.
Electric modulation of conduction in multiferroic Ca-doped BiFeO(3) films
(2009-06-01)
Yang, C. -H.
;
Seidel, J.
;
Kim, S. Y.
;
Rossen, P. B.
;
Yu, P.
Many interesting materials phenomena such as the emergence of high-T(c) superconductivity in the cuprates and colossal magnetoresistance in the manganites arise out of a doping-driven competition between energetically similar ground states. Doped multiferroics present a tantalizing evolution of this generic concept of phase competition. Here, we present the observation of an electronic conductor-insulator transition by control of band-filling in the model antiferromagnetic ferroelectric BiFeO(3) through Ca doping. Application of electric field enables us to control and manipulate this electronic transition to the extent that a p-n junction can be created, erased and inverted in this material. A 'dome-like' feature in the doping dependence of the ferroelectric transition is observed around a Ca concentration of similar to 1/8, where a new pseudo-tetragonal phase appears and the electric modulation of conduction is optimized. Possible mechanisms for the observed effects are discussed on the basis of the interplay of ionic and electronic conduction. This observation opens the door to merging magnetoelectrics and magnetoelectronics at room temperature by combining electronic conduction with electric and magnetic degrees of freedom already present in the multiferroic BiFeO(3).
Electric modulation of conduction in multiferroic Ca-doped BiFeO3 films
(2009-06-01)
Yang, C. -H.
;
Seidel, J.
;
Kim, S. Y.
;
Rossen, P. B.
;
Yu, P.
Many interesting materials phenomena such as the emergence of high-T-c superconductivity in the cuprates and colossal magnetoresistance in the manganites arise out of a doping-driven competition between energetically similar ground states. Doped multiferroics present a tantalizing evolution of this generic concept of phase competition. Here, we present the observation of an electronic conductor-insulator transition by control of band-filling in the model antiferromagnetic ferroelectric BiFeO3 through Ca doping. Application of electric field enables us to control and manipulate this electronic transition to the extent that a p-n junction can be created, erased and inverted in this material. A 'dome-like' feature in the doping dependence of the ferroelectric transition is observed around a Ca concentration of similar to 1/8, where a new pseudo-tetragonal phase appears and the electric modulation of conduction is optimized. Possible mechanisms for the observed effects are discussed on the basis of the interplay of ionic and electronic conduction. This observation opens the door to merging magnetoelectrics and magnetoelectronics at room temperature by combining electronic conduction with electric and magnetic degrees of freedom already present in the multiferroic BiFeO3.
Electric-Field-Induced Magnetization Reversal in a Ferromagnet-Multiferroic Heterostructure
(2011-11-14)
Heron, J. T.
;
Trassin, M.
;
Ashraf, K.
;
Gajek, M.
;
He, Q.
A reversal of magnetization requiring only the application of an electric field can lead to low-power spintronic devices by eliminating conventional magnetic switching methods. Here we show a nonvolatile, room temperature magnetization reversal determined by an electric field in a ferromagnet-multiferroic system. The effect is reversible and mediated by an interfacial magnetic coupling dictated by the multiferroic. Such electric-field control of a magnetoelectric device demonstrates an avenue for next-generation, low-energy consumption spintronics.