Electric field control of multiferroic domains in Ni3_3V2_2O8_8 imaged by X-ray polarization enhanced topography

The magnetic structure of multiferroic Ni$_3$V$_2$O$_8$ has been investigated using non-resonant X-ray magnetic scattering. Incident circularly polarized X-rays combined with full polarization analysis of the scattered beam is shown to yield high sensitivity to the components of the cycloidal magnetic order, including their relative phases. New information on the magnetic structure in the ferroelectric phase is obtained, where it is found that the magnetic moments on the "cross-tie" sites are quenched relative to those on the "spine" sites. This implies that the onset of ferroelectricity is associated mainly with spine site magnetic order. We also demonstrate that our technique enables the imaging of multiferroic domains through polarization enhanced topography. This approach is used to image the domains as the sample is cycled by an electric field through its hysteresis loop, revealing the gradual switching of domains without nucleation.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Circularly polarised X-rays as a probe of non-collinear magnetic order in multiferroic TbMnO3

Non-resonant X-ray magnetic scattering has been used to study the magnetic structure of multiferroic TbMnO3 in its ferroelectric phase. Circularly polarized X-rays were combined with a full polarization analysis of the scattered beam to reveal important new information on the magnetic structure of this canonical multiferroic. An applied electric field is shown to create a magnetic nearly mono-domain state in which the cylcoidal order on the Mn sublattice rotates either clockwise or counter-clockwise depending on the sign of the field. It is demonstrated how this technique provides sensitivity to the absolute sense of rotation of the Mn moments, and to components of the ordering on the Tb sublattice and phase shifts that earlier neutron diffraction experiments could not resolve.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Resonant X-Ray Magnetic Scattering from CoO

We analyze the recent experiment [W. Neubeck {\em et al.}, Phys. Rev. B \vol(60,1999,R9912)] for the resonant x-ray magnetic scattering (RXMS) around the K edge of Co in the antiferromagnet CoO. We propose a mechanism of the RXMS to make the $4p$ states couple to the magnetic order: the intraatomic exchange interaction between the $4p$ and the $3d$ states and the $p$-$d$ mixing to the $3d$ states of neighboring Co atoms. These couplings induce the orbital moment in the $4p$ states and make the scattering tensor antisymmetric. Using a cluster model, we demonstrate that this modification gives rise to a large RXMS intensity in the dipole process, in good agreement with the experiment. We also find that the pre-edge peak is generated by the transition to the $3d$ states in the quadrupole process, with negligible contribution of the dipole process. We also discuss the azimuthal angle dependence of the intensity.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure

Femtoscale magnetically induced lattice distortions in multiferroic TbMnO3

Magneto-electric multiferroics exemplified by TbMnO3 possess both magnetic and ferroelectric long-range order. The magnetic order is mostly understood, whereas the nature of the ferroelectricity has remained more elusive. Competing models proposed to explain the ferroelectricity are associated respectively with charge transfer and ionic displacements. Exploiting the magneto-electric coupling, we use an electric field to produce a single magnetic domain state, and a magnetic field to induce ionic displacements. Under these conditions, interference charge-magnetic X-ray scattering arises, encoding the amplitude and phase of the displacements. When combined with a theoretical analysis, our data allow us to resolve the ionic displacements at the femtoscale, and show that such displacements make a significant contribution to the zero-field ferroelectric moment.Comment: This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of the AAAS for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science VOL 333, (2011), doi:10.1126/science.120808

Profile of the U 5f magnetization in U/Fe multilayers

Recent calculations, concerning the magnetism of uranium in the U/Fe multilayer system have described the spatial dependence of the 5f polarization that might be expected. We have used the x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity technique to obtain the profile of the induced uranium magnetic moment for selected U/Fe multilayer samples. This study extends the use of x-ray magnetic scattering for induced moment systems to the 5f actinide metals. The spatial dependence of the U magnetization shows that the predominant fraction of the polarization is present at the interfacial boundaries, decaying rapidly towards the center of the uranium layer, in good agreement with predictions.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Observation Of Orbital Moment In Nio Using Magnetic X-ray Scattering

The spin and orbital contribution to the total magnetization have been measured in NiO by exploiting the polarization dependence of nonresonant x-ray magnetic scattering. Although the orbital moment is usually neglected, we observed that the orbital moment actually plays an important role with a contribution of 17% to the total magnetization density. By performing azimuthal scans, it was found that spin and orbital moments are collinear. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.858 II A48474849Muraki, Y., (1998) Phys. Rev. Lett., 81, p. 582Muraki, Y., (1998) Phys. Rev. Lett., 80, p. 1932Blume, M., Gibbs, D., (1988) Phys. Rev. B, 37, p. 1779Shull, C.G., Strauser, W.A., Wollan, F.O., (1951) Phys. Rev., 83, p. 333Baruchel, J., Schlenker, M., Kuusowa, K., Saito, S., (1981) Philos. Mag. B, 43, p. 853Roth, W., (1960) J. Appl. Phys., 31, p. 2000Bergevin, F.D., Brunel, M., (1972) Phys. Lett., 39 A2, p. 141Brunel, M., Bergevin, F.D., (1981) Acta Crystallogr. A, 37, p. 324Blume, M., (1985) J. Appl. Phys., 57, p. 3615Alperin, H.A., (1962) J. Phys. Soc. Jpn., 17 B-III, p. 12Stunault, A., (1998) J. Synchrotron Radiat., 5, p. 1010Fernandez, V., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 57, p. 7870Blume, M., (1961) Phys. Rev., 124, p. 9

Circularly Polarized X Rays as a Probe of Noncollinear Magnetic Order in Multiferroic TbMnO3 (vol 102, 237205, 2009)

Erratum: Circularly Polarized X Rays as a Probe of Noncollinear Magnetic Order in Multiferroic TbMnO3 [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 237205 (2009)

Mechanism of resonant x-ray magnetic scattering in NiO

We study the resonant x-ray magnetic scattering (RXMS) around the K edge of Ni in the antiferromagnet NiO, by treating the 4p states of Ni as a band and the 3d states as localized states. We propose a mechanism that the 4p states are coupled to the magnetic order through the intra-atomic Coulomb interaction between the 4p and the 3d states and through the p-d mixing to the 3d states of neighboring Ni atoms. These couplings induce the orbital moment in the 4p band, and thereby give rise to the RXMS intensity at the K edge in the dipolar process. It is found that the spin-orbit interaction in the 4p band has negligibly small contribution to the RXMS intensity. The present model reproduces well the experimental spectra. We also discuss the azimuthal angle dependence of the intensity.Comment: 10 pages (revtex) and 7 postscript figure