Electric-field tuning of magnetism in spin gapless semiconductor (SGS)-like CoFeMnSi thin film

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 112; no. 26
• Main Authors: Fu, H. R., You, C. Y., Xin, F. Q., Ma, L., Tian, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 25-06-2018
• Subjects: Applied physics; Coercivity; Electric fields; Electrical resistivity; Ferroelectric materials; Ferroelectricity; Heusler alloys; Lead titanates; Magnetic properties; Magnetic switching; Magnetism; Polarization; Single crystals; Stability; Substrates; Thin films
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.5029340

The experimental demonstration of the controllable or tunable magnetism of Heusler compounds, which theoretically exhibit the feature of spin gapless semiconductor, has drawn wide interest due to their promises for spintronic device concepts. Here, we realized the spin gapless semiconductor-like characteristic of Heusler alloy CoFeMnSi thin film deposited on [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]0.7[PbTiO3]0.3 ferroelectric single-crystal substrates, and demonstrated that its magnetism can be tuned through applying an electric-field or performing the electric pre-polarization. The transport properties reveal that the electric conductivity of CoFeMnSi is small and almost independent of temperature. The in-plane remanent magnetization Mr can be tuned up to 17% by applying a relatively small in situ electric-field of 4.2 kV/cm. The controlled coercivity of CoFeMnSi is observed with the electric pre-polarization, which might suggest a non-volatile magnetic switching for the controllable magnetic properties.