Imaging of nuclear and electron densities in the ferroelectric phase of multiferroic materials

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24340064
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Condensed matter physics I
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA Hiroyuki 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 教授 (50312658)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NODA Yukio 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 名誉教授 (80127274) ; KIYAMAGI Ryoji 日本原子力機構, J-PARCセンター, 研究員 (50521770) ; SAKAKURA Terutoshi 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 助教 (30611785)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 磁気誘起強誘電性 / 精密構造解析 / 中性子・放射光 / 強誘電変位

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Crystal and magnetic structure in the ferroelectric phase of multiferroic RMn2O5 (R=rare-earth) has been clarified by a complementary use of neutron as well as synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Extremely high precision measurement of diffraction intensity has been developed and applied to synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiment. By this method, crystal symmetry in the ferroelectric phase of RMn2O5 system was firstly revealed. We have also firstly discovered the magnetic order of Sm and Mn magnetic moment in SmMn2O5 by resonant X-ray magnetic scattering. The proposed magnetic structure of SmMn2O5 suggests that there exists novel mechanism of magnetically induced ferroelectricity, which has not been proposed experimentally nor theoretically so far.

Free Research Field

構造物性