Multiferroic Materials

The Science behind the research

An interesting fact about multiferroic materials is that they exhibit two or more order parameters, typically magnetic ordering, spontaneous electric polarization, and/or ferroelasticity.
Their attraction is that the coupling between these usually disparate forms of order can create novel functionality, for example magnetic field driven piezoelectric actuators.
There are few examples of these types of materials and most have complex, highly distorted structures which makes crystal growth challenging.

Ongoing research

We are currently working on the material BaCaFe₄O₇, a polar ferrimagnetic with a large pyroelectric effect. We have developed a crystal growth procedure for this material and are pursuing magnetic and structure measurements.