Coupling with a multiferroic BiFeO3: control under electric field

Today, an important challenge in the field of spin based electronic devices is to manipulate the magnetization of a ferromagnetic layer without applying an external magnetic field in order to reduce energy consumption. Recently, a renewed attention has been paid to the magneto-electric effect, i.e. coupling between magnetization and electric polarization, in magnetic ferroelectric or multiferroic materials. A new concept of writing magnetic memories using multiferroic materials could be an interesting alternative to spin-transfer torque. The obtained results on the coupling properties in stacks combining a multiferroic (BiFeO3) in thin films or single crystals and ferromagnetic layers will be presented. The possibilities of the manipulation of the magnetization of a ferromagnet by an electric field in heterostructures made of multiferroic (BiFeO3) single crystals and ferromagnetic films will be discussed.