Room temperature multiferroicity in orthorhombic LuFeO3_3

From the measurement of dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties we observe simultaneous ferroelectric and magnetic transitions around $\sim$600 K in orthorhombic LuFeO$_3$. We also observe suppression of the remanent polarization by $\sim$95\% under a magnetic field of $\sim$15 kOe at room temperature. The extent of suppression of the polarization under magnetic field increases monotonically with the field. These results show that even the orthorhombic LuFeO$_3$ is a room temperature multiferroic of type-II variety exhibiting quite a strong coupling between magnetization and polarization.Comment: 5 pages with 5 figures; published in Appl. Phys. Let

Origin of the asymmetric exchange bias in BiFeO3/Bi2Fe4O9 nanocomposite

We show from detailed magnetometry across 2-300 K that the BiFeO3-Bi2Fe4O9 nanocomposite offers a unique spin morphology where superspin glass (SSG) and dilute antiferromagnet in a field (DAFF) coexist at the interface between ferromagnetic Bi2Fe4O9 and antiferromagnetic BiFeO3. The coexisting SSG and DAFF combine to form a local spin texture, which gives rise to a path- dependent exchange bias below the spin freezing temperature (similar to 29 K). The exchange bias varies depending on the protocol or path followed in tracing the hysteresis loop. The exchange bias has been observed below the blocking temperature (T-B) 60 K of the superparamagnetic Bi2Fe4O9. The conventional exchange bias (CEB) increases nonmonotonically as temperature decreases. The magnitude of both exchange bias (H-E) and coercivity (H-C) increase with decrease in temperature and are found to be asymmetric below 20 K depending on the path followed in tracing the hysteresis loop and bias field. The local spin texture at the interface between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic particles generates a nonswitchable unidirectional anisotropy along the negative direction of the applied field. The influence of this texture also shows up in " asymmetric" jumps in the hysteresis loop at 2 K, which smears off at higher temperature. The role of the interface spin texture in yielding the path dependency of exchange bias is thus clearly delineated

Maity et al. reply to the comment on “Superspin glass mediated giant spontaneous exchange bias in a nanocomposite of BiFeO3−Bi2Fe4O9”, A. Harres, J. Geshev, and V. Skumryev, Physical Review Letters, 114, 099703 (2015)

In this article we reply to the concerns raised by Harres et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 099703 (2015)] about some of the results reported in our original paper [T. Maity et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 107201 (2013)]. We show that the magnetic hysteresis loops are not minor and both path dependency of exchange bias and presence of superspin glass phase in the nanocomposite are indisputable

Large magnetocapacitance in electronic ferroelectric manganite systems

We have observed a sizable positive magnetocapacitance ($\sim$$5-90\%$) in perovskite Pr$_{0.55}$Ca$_{0.45}$MnO$_3$ and bilayer Pr(Sr$_{0.1}$Ca$_{0.9}$)$_2$Mn$_2$O$_7$ system under 5T magnetic field across 20-100 K below the magnetic transition point T$_N$. The magnetodielectric effect, on the other hand, exhibits a crossover: (a) from positive to negative for the perovskite system and (b) from negative to positive for the bilayer system over the same temperature range. The bilayer Pr(Sr$_{0.1}$Ca$_{0.9}$)$_2$Mn$_2$O$_7$ system exhibits a sizable anisotropy as well. We have also noticed the influence of magnetic field on the dielectric relaxation characteristics of these systems. These systems belong to a class of improper ferroelectrics and are expected to exhibit charge/orbital order driven ferroelectric polarization below the transition point T$_{CO}$. Large magnetocapacitance in these systems shows typical multiferroic behavior even though the ferroelectric polarization is small in comparison to that of other ferroelectrics.Comment: 6 pages with 5 embedded figures; accepted for publication in J. Appl. Phy

Superspin Glass Mediated Giant Spontaneous Exchange Bias in a Nanocomposite of BiFeO3_3-Bi2_2Fe4_4O9_9

We observe an enormous $\textit{spontaneous}$ exchange bias ($\sim$300-600 Oe) - measured in an unmagnetized state following zero-field cooling - in a nanocomposite of BiFeO$_3$ ($\sim$94%)-Bi$_2$Fe$_4$O$_9$ ($\sim$6%) over a temperature range 5-300 K. Depending on the path followed in tracing the hysteresis loop - positive (p) or negative (n) - as well as the maximum field applied, the exchange bias ($H_E$) varies significantly with $\mid-H_{Ep}\mid$ $>$ $\mid H_{En}\mid$. The temperature dependence of $H_E$ is nonmonotonic. It increases, initially, till $\sim$150 K and then decreases as the blocking temperature $T_B$ is approched. All these rich features appear to be originating from the spontaneous symmetry breaking and consequent onset of unidirectional anisotropy driven by "superinteraction bias coupling" between ferromagnetic core of Bi$_2$Fe$_4$O$_9$ (of average size $\sim$19 nm) and canted antiferromagnetic structure of BiFeO$_3$ (of average size $\sim$112 nm) via superspin glass moments at the shell.Comment: 5 pages with 4 figures; published in Phys. Rev. Let

Particle size dependence of magnetization and noncentrosymmetry in nanoscale BiFeO(3)

The saturation magnetization (M(S)), antiferromagnetic transition point (T(N)), and the off-center displacements of Bi and Fe ions have been measured as a function of particle size in nanoscale BiFeO(3). TN decreases down to similar to 550 K for particles of size similar to 5 nm from similar to 653 K in bulk, while MS rises by more than an order of magnitude. Analysis of crystallographic structure from Rietveld refinement of x-ray diffraction patterns shows significant rise in off-center displacements of Bi (delta(Bi)) and Fe (delta(Fe)) ions within a unit cell with the decrease in particle size. The net unit-cell polarization PS too, is found to be larger in nanoscale regime. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3567038

Large structure-dependent room temperature exchange bias in self-assembled BiFeO3 nanoparticles

We studied the magnetic properties of self-assembled aggregates of BiFeO3 nanoparticles (~ 20-40 nm). The aggregates formed two different structures - one with limited and another with massive cross-linking - via `drying-mediated self-assembly' process following dispersion of the nanoparticles within different organic solvents. They exhibit large coercivity H_C (>1000 Oe) and exchange bias field H_E (~ 350-900 Oe) in comparison to what is observed in isolated nanoparticles (H_C ~ 250 Oe; H_E ~ 0). The H_E turns out to be switching from negative to positive depending on the structure of the aggregates with |H_E| being larger. The magnetic force microscopy reveals the magnetic domains (extending across 7-10 nanoparticles) as well as the domain switching characteristics and corroborate the results of magnetic measurements. Numerical simulation of the `drying-mediated-self-assembly' process shows that the nanoparticle-solvent interaction plays an important role in forming the `nanoparticle aggregate structures' observed experimentally. Numerical simulation of the magnetic hysteresis loops, on the other hand, points out the importance of spin pinning at the surface of nanoparticles as a result of surface functionalization of the particles in different suspension media. Depending on the concentration of pinned spins at the surface pointing preferably along the easy-axis direction - from greater than 50\% to less than 50% - H_E switches from negative to positive. Quite aside from bulk sample and isolated nanoparticle, nanoparticle aggregates - resulting from surface functionalization - therefore, offer remarkable tunability of properties depending on structures.Comment: 14 pages, 33 pdf figures. Contact authors for the supplementary data and movie

Micro-Farming Situation Observed through Manual Discriminant Analysis

Micro-farming situation is a relatively homogeneous farming situation conceptualised by the farmers themselves on the basis of certain agro-ecological and socio-economic criteria. These criteria are more holistic in its coverage than those used during identifying conventional recommendation domains. The article outlines the rationale of observing a micro-farming situation, proposes a method to carry on such exercises and points to certain areas of further research. Not only technology positioning, but also a methodological insight can be developed from such exercises. With some modifications this can be used as a participatory research tool during the study of farming systems, especially in the resource-poor CRD agriculture

Large Magnetoelectric Coupling in the Thin Film of Multiferroic CuO

We report observation of large magnetoelectric coupling in an epitaxial thin film of multiferroic CuO grown on the (100)MgO substrate by the pulsed laser deposition technique. The film is characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectrometry. The crystallographic structure of the film turns out to be monoclinic (space group C2/c) with 111]CuO parallel to100]MgO ``out-of-plane'' epitaxy and ``in-plane'' domain structure. The lattice misfit strain is found to vary within +/- 1-3%. The dc resistivity, magnetization, dielectric spectroscopy, and remanent ferroeletric polarization have been measured across 80-300 K. The dielectric constant is found to decrease by >20% under a moderate magnetic field of similar to 18 kOe while the remanent ferroelectric polarization, emerging at the onset of magnetic transition (T-N similar to 175 K), decreases by nearly 50% under similar to 18 kOe field. These results could assume importance as the strain-free bulk CuO does not exhibit magnetoelectric coupling within such magnetic field regime. The strain-induced large magnetoelectric coupling in the CuO thin film would generate new possibility of further strain tuning to observe room-temperature magnetoelectric multiferroicity suitable for scores of applications such as memories, sensors, energy-harvesting devices, generators, amplifiers, and so forth

Large magnetoelectric coupling in nanoscale BiFeO3_3 from direct electrical measurements

We report the results of direct measurement of remanent hysteresis loops on nanochains of BiFeO$_3$ at room temperature under zero and $\sim$20 kOe magnetic field. We noticed a suppression of remanent polarization by nearly $\sim$40\% under the magnetic field. The powder neutron diffraction data reveal significant ion displacements under a magnetic field which seems to be the origin of the suppression of polarization. The isolated nanoparticles, comprising the chains, exhibit evolution of ferroelectric domains under dc electric field and complete 180$^o$ switching in switching-spectroscopy piezoresponse force microscopy. They also exhibit stronger ferromagnetism with nearly an order of magnitude higher saturation magnetization than that of the bulk sample. These results show that the nanoscale BiFeO$_3$ exhibits coexistence of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order and a strong magnetoelectric multiferroic coupling at room temperature comparable to what some of the type-II multiferroics show at a very low temperature.Comment: 7 pages with 5 figures, published in Phys. Rev.