Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong University addressed the issue of insufficient signal resolution and operating temperature range in spin waves within magnetic materials for magnonic devices. They designed a Pt/Gd₃Fe₅O₁₂/MgO/PMN-PT heterostructure and proposed a new mechanism of electric field induced magnetic compensation phase transition to regulate spin waves. Their findings have recently been published in Advanced Materials.
The study demonstrates that when an electric field is applied to the heterostructure, the PMN-PT piezoelectric single crystal substrate generates electrostrain. This electrostrain induces a magnetic compensation phase transition in the ferrimagnetic insulator Gd₃Fe₅O₁₂. During this phase transition, the magnetic moments of the Gd₃Fe₅O₁₂ spin lattice flip, resulting in a reversal of the polarization direction of its spin wave. This enables non-volatile positive and negative switching control of spin wave signals near room temperature through an electric field. This research provides a new material design scheme and physical mechanism for pure electric field read-write non-volatile, low-energy, and highly integrated magnonic devices.
Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202312137
