Large magnetoelectric effect in ferroelectric/piezomagnetic heterostructures

We present results of the first-principles calculations on the large magnetoelectric effect in ferroelectric/piezomagnetic multilayers. We consider thin-film layered heterostructures of typical ferroelectrics, such as PbTiO ₃, with piezomagnetic (PzM) Mn-based antiperovskites, such as Mn ₃GaN. The atomic displacements induced by the FE polarization as well as mechanical stress at the interface break the triangular magnetic symmetry of the PzM phase producing net magnetization in the system. The induced magnetization can be controlled by changing the direction of polarization in the ferroelectric phase. Our calculations show that reversal of the polarization results in change of the net magnetization in the system by more than 50%.