Phonon rotoelectric effect

Abstract

Here, the authors theoretically propose a new method to generate phonon angular momenta -- rotational motions of atoms in crystals by the electric field. From a symmetry analysis, they consider multiferroic materials without both time-reversal and inversion symmetries and with their product being conserved. When the electric field is applied, the phonon angular momentum is generated via the spin-phonon interaction and the lattice distortion due to the electric field.