Electric field control of the magnetic state in BiFeO3 single crystals

Abstract

Single crystals of multiferroic BiFeO3 were investigated using neutron scattering. Application of an electric field reversibly switches ferroelastic domains, inducing changes in the magnetic structure which follows rotation of the structural domains. In addition, electric fields can be used to control the populations of the equivalent magnetic domains within a single ferroelastic domain, possibly via field-induced strain.