Inversion-symmetry breaking in the noncollinear magnetic phase of the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet CuFeO₂

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T. Kimura,^1,2 J. C. Lashley,¹ and A. P. Ramirez²
¹Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
²Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, 600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974, USA

Received 9 May 2006; published 12 June 2006

Magnetoelectricand magnetoelastic phenomena have been investigated on a frustrated triangularantiferromagnetic lattice in CuFeO₂. Inversion-symmetry breaking, manifested as a finiteelectric polarization, was observed in noncollinear (helical) magnetic phases andnot in collinear magnetic phases. This result demonstrates that thenoncollinear spin structure plays an important role in inducing electricpolarization. Based on these results we suggest that frustrated magnets(often favoring noncollinear configurations) are favorable candidates for a newclass of magnetoelectric materials.

URL:	http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.220401
DOI:	10.1103/PhysRevB.73.220401
PACS:	75.30.Kz; 64.70.Rh; 75.80.+q 75.30.Kz Magnetic phase boundaries including magnetic transitions, metamagnetism, etc 64.70.Rh Commensurate–incommensurate transitions 75.80.+q Magnetomechanical and magnetoelectric effects, magnetostriction YEAR: 2006
KEYWORDS:	copper compounds, antiferromagnetic materials, magnetoelectric effects, magnetoelastic effects, frustration, magnetic structure, magnetic transitions

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