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Mysterious multiferroics: Why are these materials so rare?
In the world of materials science, multiferroics materials have attracted widespread attention due to their unique properties. This class of materials possesses several key ferroic features, including ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity, which can be switched by applying a magnetic or electric field, and ferroelasticity, which can be switched under pressure. In particular, magnetoelectric multiferroic materials that possess both ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity have aroused great enthusiasm among scholars. So why is this type of material so rare?
The development of multiferroic materials can be traced back to 2000, when N.A. Spaldin proposed the reasons why magnetic ferroelectric materials are scarce and how to prepare them, which is considered to be the beginning of the contemporary surge of interest in multiferroic materials.
Looking back in history, magnetoelectric materials were a research field that predated multiferroic materials. In these materials, an applied electric field changes their magnetic properties, and vice versa. While not all magnetoelectric materials are multiferroic, most exhibit linear magnetoelectric behavior, meaning that their magnetization is linearly related to the strength of the applied electric field. Therefore, understanding the historical background of these materials will help us understand multiferroic materials more clearly.
Current multiferroic materials can be divided into different types, mainly based on the temperature and mechanism at which their ferroelectricity and magnetism appear. In Type-I multiferroic materials, magnetism and ferroelectricity appear at different temperatures and originate from different mechanisms, such as the famous BiFeO3; in contrast, in Type-II multiferroic materials, magnetism directly causes ferroelectricity. The phase transition temperatures of the two are basically the same, an example being TbMnO3.
The interactions in these materials are not only intriguing, but also have a wide range of potential applications, including as actuators, switches, magnetic field sensors and ideal candidates for new electronic memory devices.
However, multiferroic materials still face many challenges, especially how to develop materials with strong coupling and high magnetic and polarization characteristics at room temperature. To overcome these challenges, current researchers have begun to explore composite applications with other materials. In this process, new high-efficiency multiferroic materials can be developed using magneto-electric composites. In addition, layered structure growth technology also shows great potential by combining the characteristics of different materials to improve overall performance.
The potential of multiferroic materials for technological applications is enormous. It can control magnetism through electric fields, which is of great significance for the development of new electronic components, such as spintronic devices. If electric field control of the magnetic state can be achieved, it will significantly reduce energy demand and have a revolutionary potential impact on future scientific and technological development.
It is precisely because of the mystery and rarity of multiferroic materials that they have become a beautiful landscape in the field of materials science. Can multiferroic materials change the face of future technology, or will they remain merely the realm of academic research?
