https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2009-00274-4
Toroidal moments as indicator for magneto-electric coupling: the case of BiFeO3 versus FeTiO3
School of Physics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Corresponding author: a edererc@tcd.ie
Received:
5
March
2009
Revised:
2
June
2009
Published online:
11
August
2009
In this paper we present an analysis of the magnetic toroidal moment and its relation to the various structural modes in R3c-distorted perovskites with magnetic cations on either the perovskite A or B site. We evaluate the toroidal moment in the limit of localized magnetic moments and show that the full magnetic symmetry can be taken into account by considering small induced magnetic moments on the oxygen sites. Our results give a transparent picture of the possible coupling between magnetization, electric polarization, and toroidal moment, thereby highlighting the different roles played by the various structural distortions in multiferroic BiFeO3 and in the recently discussed isostructural material FeTiO3, which has been predicted to exhibit electric field-induced magnetization switching.
PACS: 75.25.+z – Spin arrangements in magnetically ordered materials / 75.80.+q – Magnetomechanical and magnetoelectric effects, magnetostriction / 77.80.-e – Ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009