Electric-field control of magnetic order above room temperature*

Controlling magnetism by electric fields is a key issue for the future development of low-power spintronics. Progress has been made in the electrical control of magnetic anisotropy, domain structure, spin polarization or critical temperatures. However, the ability to turn on and off robust ferromagnetism at room temperature and above has remained elusive. Here we will present a new approach for the electrical control of magnetic and spintronic properties based on the combination of ferroelectric materials with magnetic transition-metal alloys. We demonstrate a giant, low-voltage control of magnetism, just above room temperature. The data are interpreted in the light of first-principles in terms of both strain and field-effect. Our results correspond to a magnetoelectric coupling larger than previous reports by at least one order of magnitude and open new perspectives for the use of ferroelectrics in spintronics.\\[4pt] Work done in collaboration with Ryan Cherifi, Viktoria Ivanovskaya, Lee Phillips, Unite Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales; Alberto Zobelli, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides; Ingrid Infante, Ecole Centrale Paris; Eric Jacquet, Stephane Fusil, Unite Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales; Patrick Briddon, University of Newcastle; Ahmet Unal, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin; Alexandra Mougin, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides; Sergio Valencia, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin; Florian Kronast, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides; Brahim Dkhil, Ecole Centrale Paris; and Vincent Garcia, Agnes Barthelemy, Unite Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales.