New Materials Family on the Block

A family of single-phase materials was discovered with coexisting magnetic and electrical properties having potential for electronic applications.

Using a scanning electron microscope, the identity of individual elements that make up a single grain of a material can be mapped from the x-rays emitted by the interactions of high energy electrons with the material.
Image courtesy of American Institute of Physics
Using a scanning electron microscope, the identity of individual elements that make up a single grain of a material can be mapped from the x-rays emitted by the interactions of high energy electrons with the material. The analysis (documented as colorized images) show that all of the elements in the material were evenly distributed in the grain; a result confirmed by additional analyses of other grains in the material: lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), niobium (Nb), and oxygen (O).

The Science

Scientists have created a new family of rare materials that change in ways that could alter information storage. At room temperature, two multiferroic magnetoelectric materials exhibit an unusual electrical property, known as ferroelectricity. Specifically, an electric field can reverse the material’s electric polarization (or separation of positive and negative charges) under suitable conditions. The magnetic properties, or ferromagnetism, lead to permanent magnetization, like bar magnets. These properties can be switched by suitable electric or magnetic fields.

The Impact

This new family of materials could provide new pathways for advanced data storage and sensors.

Summary

Multiferroic magnetoelectric materials are extremely rare and desirable due to their unique combinations of electrical and magnetic properties. In this study, researchers at the University of Puerto Rico synthesized two single-phase ceramics that are both multiferroic and magnetoelectric (allows electrical control of magnetization) at room temperature. The research built on known multiferroics based on perovskite lead (Pb) – iron (Fe) oxides, containing tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb) (such as PbFe1/2Ta1/2O3 and PbFe1/2Nb1/2O3), that have long-range magnetic ordering near or above room temperature. The new multiferroic magnetoelectric ceramics were composed of these systems combined with PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 to produce single-phase solid solutions. In short, the new material is composed of Pb, Fe, Zr, Ti, and O with either Ta or Nb additions. Scientists used a combination of advanced characterization techniques to document the properties and structure of this new family of materials, including measurements of ferroelectric and magnetic hysteresis, dielectric constants, Curie temperature, and magnetoelectric voltage coefficients. Because materials with multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties at room temperature are rare, this new family of materials may lead to advances in magnetic data storage, sensors, or voltage-controlled spintronic devices.

Contact

Ram S. Katiyar
Professor, Department of Physics, University of Puerto Rico
San Juan, PR 00936-8377, USA
[email protected]

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences; Department of Defense; and National Science Foundation.

Publications

D. Sanchez, N. Ortega, A. Kumar, G. Sreenivasulu, R. Katiyar, J. Scott, D. Evans, M. Arredondo-Arechavala, A. Schilling, and J. Gregg, “Room-temperature single phase multiferroic magnetoelectrics: Pb(Fe,M)x(Zr,Ti)(1−x)O3 [M=Ta, Nb].” Journal of Applied Physics 113, 074105 (2013). [DOI: 10.1063/1.4790317]

Highlight Categories

Program: BES , MSE

Performer: University

Additional: Collaborations , Non-DOE Interagency Collaboration