Low-voltage magnetoelectric coupling in membrane heterostructures

Shane Lindemann, Julian Irwin, Gi Yeop Kim, Bo Wang, Kitae Eom, Jianjun Wang, Jiamian Hu, Long Qing Chen, Si Young Choi, Chang Beom Eom, Mark S. Rzchowski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Strain-mediated magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in ferroelectric (FE)/ferromagnetic (FM) heterostructures offers a unique opportunity for both fundamental scientific research and low-power multifunctional devices. Relaxor-FEs, such as (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-(x)PbTiO3 (PMN-xPT), are ideal FE layer candidates because of their giant piezoelectricity. However, thin films of PMN-PT suffer from substrate clamping, which substantially reduces piezoelectric in-plane strains. Here, we demonstrate low-voltage ME coupling in an all-thin-film heterostructure that uses the anisotropic strains induced by the (011) orientation of PMN-PT. We completely remove PMN-PT films from their substrate and couple with FM Ni overlayers to create membrane PMN-PT/Ni heterostructures showing 90° Ni magnetization rotation with 3 V PMN-PT bias, much less than the bulk PMN-PT ∼100-V requirement. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and phase-field simulations clarify the membrane response. These results provide a crucial step toward understanding the microstructural behavior of PMN-PT thin films for use in piezo-driven ME heterostructures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbereabh2294
JournalScience Advances
Volume7
Issue number46
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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