Multiferroicity in Perovskite-Type Rare-Earth Manganites

非技术描述：这个项目探索对单相材料的结构和变形的基本了解，并寻找新的方法来控制可能影响多功能设备进步的物理性能。感兴趣的材料是磁电的多铁性稀土锰氧化物，当材料的某些磁性转变时，其中的铁电性被诱导。在本项目结束时，将深入了解影响结构扭曲、键角、磁性、铁电性和磁电性的科学参数。此外，这一认识可用于具有增强极化和临界温度的磁电多铁材料的合理设计。在这个项目的过程中，(I)不同的本科生和研究生正在接受培训和指导；(Ii)结果正在被纳入，以完善物理和功能材料课程；以及(Ii)通过一个能源俱乐部(与当地图书馆合作)向更广泛的受众传播结果，为当地高中教师(在康涅狄格大学)举办暑期研究机会，并与阿拉巴马农工大学的学生密切互动。技术细节：Pi和她的团队正在合成具有磁电多铁性的单相纯A/B位掺杂或反常扭曲的钙钛矿型稀土锰氧化物。基础科学研究集中在控制稀土锰氧化物A位和B位掺杂离子的平均离子半径、离子尺寸失配和磁性，并研究它们对结构、形变、磁性、铁电相变和磁电耦合的影响。大学和国家实验室正在利用各种最先进的表征技术和计算来培训本科生和研究生，以调查对这些材料系统中结构-变形-性质关联的全面理解。这项研究预期具有增强的电极化和/或临界温度的磁电多铁性的合理设计，这可能会影响基于磁电的器件在消费电子、医疗保健和军事系统中的进步。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: This project explores the fundamental understanding of the structure and distortions of single-phase materials and finding new avenues to control their physical properties that may impact the advancement of multifunctional devices. The materials of interest are the magnetoelectric multiferroic rare-earth manganites in which ferroelectricity is induced when at some magnetic transition of the material. At the conclusion of this project, insights will be gained into the scientific parameters affecting the structural distortions, bond angles, magnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties. Furthermore, this understanding may be used in rational design of magnetoelectric multiferroics with enhanced polarization and critical temperatures. During the course of this project (i) diverse undergraduate and graduate students are being trained and mentored; (ii) results are being incorporated to refine physics and functional materials courses; and (ii) the results are being disseminated to a much broader audience through an energy club (working in cooperation with local libraries), hosting summer research opportunity for local high school teachers (at the University of Connecticut), and close interactions with students at Alabama A&M University. TECHNICAL DETAILS: The PI and her team are synthesizing single-phase pure and A/B-site doped orthorhobmically distorted perovskite rare-earth manganites that show magnetoelectric multiferroic properties. Basic scientific research is focused on controlling the average ionic radius, ionic size mismatch, and magnetic properties of the doped ions at the A- and B-sites of the rare-earth manganites and on studying their effect on the structure, distortion, magnetic properties, ferroelectric transition, and magnetoelectric coupling. Various state-of-the-art characterization techniques and calculations at university and national laboratories are being utilized to train undergraduate and graduate students in order to investigate the comprehensive understanding of structure-distortion-property correlations in these material systems. The investigation anticipates the rational design of magnetoelectric multiferroics with enhanced electric polarization and/or critical temperatures, which potentially impacts the advancement of magnetoelectric based devices in consumer electronics, health care, and military systems.