Imaging and Control of Surface Magnetization Domains in a Magnetoelectric Antiferromagnet

Ning Wu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Xi He, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Aleksander Wysocki, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Uday Lanke, University of Saskatchewan
Takashi Komesu, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Kirill D. Belashchenko, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Christian Binek, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Peter Dowben, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Article comments

Published in PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 106, 087202 (2011), 25 FEBRUARY 2011; doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.087202  Copyright 2011 American Physical Society. Used by permission. 

http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v106/i8/e087202

Abstract

We report the direct observation of surface magnetization domains of the magnetoelectric Cr₂O₃ using photoemission electron microscopy with magnetic circular dichroism contrast and magnetic force microscopy. The domain pattern is strongly affected by the applied electric field conditions. Zero-field cooling results in an equal representation of the two domain types, while electric-field cooling selects one dominant domain type. These observations confirm the existence of surface magnetization, required by symmetry in magnetoelectric antiferromagnets.