Ab initio cycloidal and chiral magnetoelectric responses in Cr2 O3

We present a thorough density functional theory study of the magneto-electric (ME) effect in Cr2O3. The spin-lattice ME tensor α was determined in the low-field and spin flop (SF) phases, using the method of dynamical magnetic charges, and found to be the sum of three distinct components. Two of the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tillack, N, Yates, J, Radaelli, P
Format: Journal article
Published: American Physical Society 2016
Description
Summary:We present a thorough density functional theory study of the magneto-electric (ME) effect in Cr2O3. The spin-lattice ME tensor α was determined in the low-field and spin flop (SF) phases, using the method of dynamical magnetic charges, and found to be the sum of three distinct components. Two of them, a large relativistic "cycloidal" term and a small longitudinal term, are independent on the spin orientation. The third, only active in the SF phases is also of relativistic origin and arises from magnetic-field-induced chirality, leading to a non-toroidal ME response.