An universal microscopic mechanism to understand the interplay between the electric and magnetic degrees of freedom in noncollinear multiferroics is developed. In a system with a strong spin-orbit coupling, we show that there is a pure electric mechanism that the ferroelectricity is generated by noncollinear magnetism through an electric current cancellation process, which saves the pure electr...

Multiferroic materials showing coupled electric, magnetic and elastic orderings provide a platform to explore complexity and new paradigms for memory and logic devices. Until now, the deterministic control of non-ferroelectric order parameters in multiferroics has been elusive. Here, we demonstrate deterministic ferroelastic switching in rhombohedral BiFeO(3) by domain nucleation with a scannin...

We discuss a model scenario for multiferroic systems of type II (collinear spins) where the electric dipolar order competes with frustrated magnetic in determining elastic distortions lattice ion positions. High frustration due to second-neighbors exchange and small spin easy-axis anisotropy lead appearance so-called quantum plateau states. Increasing field above border produces composite excit...

Recently, we predicted based on symmetry considerations that KMnFeF6 and Ba2Ni7F18 are likely magnetoelectric multiferroic materials. In this contribution, we investigate with Landau theory and crystal structure considerations the polarization and the linear magnetoelectric effect in these materials. Based on these two examples, we show that any magnetoferroelectric will display additional elec...

Multiferroic magnetoelectric (ME) composites are attractive materials for various electrically and magnetically cross-coupled devices. Many studies have been conducted on fundamental understanding, fabrication processes, and applications of ME composite material systems in the last four decades which has brought the technology closer to realization in practical devices. In this article, we pres...

In view of the increasing requirements on energy saving, as well as the necessity to cool the growing number of on-chip components, the alternative cooling principles not associated with the traditional refrigerants become more and more actual. The most promising are the solid-state cooling devices, among which are widely used systems based on the Peltier effect. However, due to the low refrige...

Mechanical, magnetic, and transport properties of arbitrary inhomogeneous composites are investigated by a Bruggeman-type mean-field approach. The theory yields materials parameters as functions of the volume fractions, geometries, and materials constants of the phases. Each system is described by a single response parameter g, which is equal to the percolation threshold of the composite. For m...

We report the detection of a magnetic resonance mode in multiferroic Ba0.6Sr1.4Zn2Fe12O22 using time-domain pump-probe reflectance spectroscopy. Magnetic sublattice precession is coherently excited via picosecond thermal modification of the exchange energy. Importantly, this precession is recorded as a change in reflectance caused by the dynamic magnetoelectric effect. Thus, transient reflectan...