電場で磁気テクスチャを誘導 (Steering magnetic textures with electric fields)

2025-06-16 スイス連邦・ポールシェラー研究所 (PSI)

＜関連情報＞

• https://www.psi.ch/de/news/science-features/steering-magnetic-textures-with-electric-fields
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60288-1

電場を用いたナノ磁気スパイラル軌道の決定論的制御 Deterministic control of nanomagnetic spiral trajectories using an electric field

Samuel H. Moody,Matthew T. Littlehales,Daniel A. Mayoh,Geetha Balakrishnan,Diego Alba Venero,Peter D. Hatton & Jonathan S. White
Nature Communications  Published:06 June 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60288-1

Abstract

The intertwined nature of magnetic and electric degrees of freedom in magnetoelectric (ME) materials is well described by ME-coupling theory. When an external electric field is applied to a ME material, the ME coupling induces unique and intriguing magnetic responses. Such responses underpin the utilisation of ME materials across diverse applications, ranging from electromagnetic sensing to low-energy digital memory technologies. Here, we use small angle neutron scattering and discover a novel magnetic response within an archetypal chiral ME material, Cu₂OSeO₃. We find that the propagation direction of an incommensurate magnetic spiral is deterministically actuated and deflected along controllable trajectories. Furthermore, we predict the emergence of distinct non-linear regimes of spiral-deflection behaviour with external electric and magnetic fields, unlocking innovative devices that leverage controlled and customisable variations in macroscopic polarisation and magnetisation.