Direct imaging of the magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic BaTiO3/La0.9Ba0.1MnO3

Abstract

We report the direct imaging of the magnetic response of a 4.8 nm La0.9Ba0.1MnO3 film to the voltage applied across a 5 nm BaTiO3 film in a BaTiO3/La0.9Ba0.1MnO3 multiferroic heterostructure using x-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM). Specifically, we have written square ferroelectric domains on the BaTiO3 layer with an atomic force microscope in contact mode and imaged the corresponding magnetic contrast through the x-ray circular dichroic effect at the Mn L-edge with high spatial lateral resolution using XPEEM. We find a sudden decrease in the magnetic contrast for positive writing voltages above +6 V associated with the switching of the ferroelectric polarization of the BaTiO3, consistent with the presence of a magnetoelectric effect through changes in the hole carrier density at the BaTiO3/La0.9Ba0.1MnO3 interface. Temperature-dependent measurements show a decrease in the Curie temperature and magnetic moment in the areas where a positive voltage above +6 V was applied, corresponding to the hole depletion state and suggesting the onset of a spin-canted state of bulk La0.9Ba0.1MnO3. Our results are the first direct imaging of magnetoelectric coupling in such multiferroic heterostructure.