Thickness-dependent voltage-modulated magnetism in multiferroic heterostructures

Abstract

The voltage-modulated magnetic behavior in multiferroic Ni/BaTiO3 heterostructures grown on SrTiO3 single crystal substrate was observed by the magneto-optical Kerr effect measurement in an AC modulation technique with synchronizing the frequency of the Kerr signal detector to the low-frequency AC actuation voltage. The results showed coexistence at room-temperature of two magnetoelectric (ME) mechanisms, i.e., strain- and interface charge-mediated couplings. The interaction between the different ME couplings leads to a remarkable thickness-dependent voltage modulation of the magnetic behavior.