Cupric chloride CuCl2 as an S=(1)/(2) chain multiferroic
Abstract
Magnetoelectric properties were investigated for an S=1/2 chain antiferromagnet CuCl2 , which turns out to be the first example of nonchalcogen based spiral-spin induced multiferroics. Upon the onset of helimagnetic order propagating along the b axis under zero magnetic field (H) , we found emergence of ferroelectric polarization along the c axis. Application of H along the b axis leads to spin-flop transition coupled with drastic suppression of ferroelectricity and rotation of H around the b axis induces the rotation of spin-spiral plane and associated polarization direction. These behaviors are explained well within the framework of the inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya model, suggesting the robustness of this magnetoelectric coupling mechanism even under the strong quantum fluctuation.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- August 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevB.82.064424
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1008.5226
- Bibcode:
- 2010PhRvB..82f4424S
- Keywords:
-
- 75.85.+t;
- 75.10.Pq;
- 75.45.+j;
- 77.80.Fm;
- Spin chain models;
- Macroscopic quantum phenomena in magnetic systems;
- Switching phenomena;
- Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 5 figures