Multiferroicity in Perovskite-Type Rare-Earth Manganites

非技术描述：该项目探索了对单相材料的结构和扭曲的基本理解，并找到了控制其物理特性的新途径，这可能会影响多功能设备的发展。感兴趣的材料是磁电多铁性稀土锰矿石，其中铁电性是在材料的某些磁转变时产生的。在该项目结束时，将获得影响结构扭曲，键角，磁性，铁电性和磁电性的科学参数的见解。此外，这种认识可用于合理设计具有增强极化和临界温度的磁电多铁材料。在这个项目的过程中(1)不同的本科生和研究生正在接受培训和指导；将结果纳入改进物理和功能材料课程；（ii）通过能源俱乐部（与当地图书馆合作）、为当地高中教师举办夏季研究机会（在康涅狄格大学）以及与阿拉巴马州农工大学学生的密切互动，将研究结果传播给更广泛的受众。技术细节：PI和她的团队正在合成单相纯和A/ b位掺杂正交畸变钙钛矿稀土锰矿，显示出磁电多铁性。基础科学研究的重点是控制掺杂离子在稀土锰的A位和b位的平均离子半径、离子尺寸失配和磁性能，研究它们对稀土锰的结构、畸变、磁性能、铁电跃迁和磁电耦合的影响。在大学和国家实验室中，各种最先进的表征技术和计算被用于培养本科生和研究生，以调查这些材料系统中结构-扭曲-性能相关性的全面理解。该研究预测了具有增强电极化和/或临界温度的磁电多铁性材料的合理设计，这可能会影响消费电子、医疗保健和军事系统中基于磁电的器件的进步。

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.