Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 11: Multiferroics I: Structure and Phase Transitions (jointly with DF, DS, KR, TT), Program coordination: I. Mertig, M. Fiebig

MA 11.6: Talk

Monday, March 14, 2011, 16:00–16:15, HSZ 04

Investigation of multiferroic order in M₃TeO₆ (M=Co, Mn, Ni) by second harmonic generation — •Vera Carolus¹, Thomas Lottermoser¹, Sergey A. Ivanov², Matthias Weil³, Roland Mathieu⁴, Matthias Hudl⁴, Per Nordblad⁴, and Manfred Fiebig¹ — ¹HISKP, University of Bonn, Germany — ²Department of Inorganic Materials, Karpov’ Institute of Physical Chemistry, Vorontsovo pole, 10 105064, Moscow K-64, Russia — ³Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Vienna University of Technology, Austria — ⁴Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 534, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden

Orthotellurates with the formula M₃TeO₆ are structurally well characterized and can be divided into six different structure types. According to this, these materials show a wide range of magnetic phases. Recently it was suggested, that in some of the orthotellurates multiferroic order is possible.

Among this are: Co₃TeO₆ (space group C2/c) and Mn₃TeO₆ (R3) with two magnetic phase transitions as well as Ni₃TeO₆ (R3) with one magnetic phase transition. However, a direct proof of ferroelectricity has not been reported so far.

Here, we investigate the multiferroic order by second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy. For Co₃TeO₆ we measured a intense SHG contribution in the low temperature phase below 18 K, which is a strong evidence for multiferroic order. This interpretation is supported by the observation of complex domain patterns using SHG imaging techniques.