Interactions between a ferromagnet, cobalt, and a ferroelectric copolymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene) in thin film heterostructures result in a 5% change in the ferroelectric polarization on application of a perpendicular 6 kG magnetic field corresponding to a magnetoelectric coupling coefficient of α=5.45 V/cm Oe⁠. The effect disappears on magnetic saturation, ruling out conventional strain coupling. A simple model posits that the ferroelectric film develops in-plane strain gradients, a consequence of the coupling to strain gradients present at the domain walls in the multidomain Co layer, resulting in the measured polarization change via the flexoelectric effect.

Topics
Magnetism, Heterostructures, Electrostatics, Dielectric materials, Ferroelectric materials, Ferromagnetic materials, Polymers, Thin films, Transition metals, Chemical compounds
© 2010 American Institute of Physics.
2010
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.