Composite materials consisting of coupled magnetic and ferroelectric layers
hold the promise for new emergent properties such as controlling magnetism with
electric fields. Obviously, the interfacial coupling mechanism plays a crucial
role and its understanding is the key for exploiting this material class for
technological applications. This short review is focused on the magnonic-based
magnetoelectric coupling that forms at the interface of a metallic ferromagnet
with a ferroelectric insulator. After analyzing the physics behind this
coupling, the implication for the magnetic, transport, and optical properties
of these composite materials is discussed. Furthermore, examples for the
functionality of such interfaces are illustrated by the electric field
controlled transport through ferroelectric/ferromagnetic tunnel junctions, the
electrically and magnetically controlled optical properties, and the generation
of electromagnon solitons for the use as reliable information carriers.Comment: Physica Status Solidi B 1, 1900750 (2020