Electric field tuning of non-volatile three-state magnetoelectric memory in FeCo-NiFe2O4/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.7Ti0.3O3 heterostructures

Abstract

We demonstrate electric field impulse-induced reversible tristable magnetization switching in FeCo-NiFe2O4/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.7Ti0.3O3 (PMN-PT) heterostructures at room temperature. The magnetic properties of the FeCo-NiFe2O4 film can be changed reversibly by the strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling effect. Three piezostrain-mediated reversible and stable electric resistance states were obtained in the FeCo-NiFe2O4 film when different electric field impulses were applied, including large positive and negative fields and an impulse that was smaller than the electric coercive field. Consequently, reversible electric field impulse tuning of the tristable resistance state, which is related to the different magnetization switching properties of the materials, was realized. These results provide a promising approach for low loss multistate magnetoelectric memory devices for information storage applications.