Surface Magnetoelectric Effect in Ferromagnetic Metal Films

Authors

Chun-gang Duan, East China Normal University, ShanghaiFollow
Julian P. Velev, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Renat F. Sabirianov, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
Ziqiang Zhu, East China Normal University, Shanghai
Junhao Chu, East China Normal University, Shanghai
Sitaram Jaswal, University of NebraskaFollow
Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, University of Nebraska at LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

9-26-2008

Comments

Published in Physical Review Letters 101, 137201 (2008). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.137201 Copyright © 2008 The American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

A surface magnetoelectric effect is revealed by density-functional calculations that are applied to ferromagnetic Fe(001), Ni(001), and Co(0001) films in the presence of an external electric field. The effect originates from spin-dependent screening of the electric field which leads to notable changes in the surface magnetization and the surface magnetocrystalline anisotropy. These results are of considerable interest in the area of electrically controlled magnetism and magnetoelectric phenomena.