Electric-field induced strain modulation of magnetization in Fe-Ga/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)-PbTiO3 magnetoelectric heterostructures

Abstract

Magnetostrictive Fe-Ga thin layers were deposited on < 110 >-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)-30% PbTiO3 (PMN-30% PT) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The as-prepared heterostructures showed columnar arrays aligned in the out-of-plane direction. Transmission electron microscopy revealed nanocrystalline regions within the columnar arrays of the Fe-Ga film. The heterostructure exhibited a strong converse magnetoelectric coupling effect of up to 4.55 x 10(-7) s m(-1), as well as an electric field tunability of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, the remanent magnetization states of the Fe-Ga films can be reversibly and irreversibly changed by external electric fields, suggesting a promising and robust application in magnetic random access memories and spintronics. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.