Spin-chirality-driven ferroelectricity on perfect triangular lattice antiferromagnets

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26400329
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Condensed matter physics II
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Mitamura Hiroyuki 東京大学, 物性研究所, 助教 (60282604)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUZUKI Kazuya 横浜国立大学, 工学研究院, 教授 (80206466) ; WATANUKI Ryuta 横浜国立大学, 工学研究院, 特別研究教員 (30396808)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: スピンカイラリティ / マルチフェロイック / スピンフラストレーション / 三角格子 / パルス磁場 / 中性子散乱

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have clarified that in-plane spin chirality on a perfect triangular lattice antiferromanget can induce ferroelectricity through our theory (study of magnetic symmetry) and experiment (pyroelectric measurement in pulsed magnetic fields and neutron diffraction measurement in quasi static magnetic fields. We have also shown that this phenomena strongly depend on its crystal structure. Moreover, we have clarified the possible space group of the crystal. We have succeeded to find another material showing the phenomena based on this expectation.

Free Research Field

磁性、強相関電子系、強磁場物性