Antiferromagnetic domain switching in Cr₂O₃

Abstract

Controlled antiferromagnetic domain reversals have been observed in single crystal Cr <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> O <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</inf> . Switching between substantially single domain states has been achieved with the simultaneous impression of electric and magnetic fields of approximately 10 kV/cm and 5 kOe, respectively. The switching energy is closely proportional to the product of the two switching fields, in agreement with theory. The switched domain state was stable when the applied energy was reduced and even when reversed in sign, until its value reached the same order of magnitude as the first threshold energy, at which point the domain state switched back. Several widely different switching thresholds have been detected for switching in each direction in the crystal. The magnitudes of all the threshold energies increase rapidly but at different rates with decrease in temperature. The speed of antiferromagnetic domain reversal in this crystal has been measured. Switching behavior is discussed in terms of seed-domains and pinning centers distributed throughout the crystal.