Journal article
Unconventional magnetism, sliding ferroelectricity, and magneto-optical Kerr effect in multiferroic bilayers
- Abstract:
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Antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials provide a platform to couple altermagnetic (AM) spin-splitting with the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE), offering potential for next-generation quantum technologies. In this work, first-principles calculations, symmetry analysis, and k·p modeling are employed to show that interlayer sliding in AFM multiferroic bilayers enables control of electronic, magnetic, and magneto-optical properties. This study reveals an intriguing dimension-driven AM crossover: the 2D paraelectric (PE) bilayer exhibits spin-degenerate bands protected by the [C2∥Mc] spin-space symmetry, whereas the 3D counterpart manifests AM spin-splitting along kz ≠ 0 paths. Furthermore, interlayer sliding breaks this Mc symmetry and stabilizes a ferroelectric (FE) state with compensated ferrimagnetism, where the Zeeman-like field is responsible for the nonrelativistic spin-splitting. In the FE phase, spin–orbit coupling (SOC) lifts accidental degeneracies and produces “alternating” spin-polarized bands through the interplay of Zeeman and Rashba effects. Crucially, spin polarization, ferrovalley polarization (ΔEV), and the Kerr angle (θk) can all be reversed by switching either sliding ferroelectricity or the Néel vector. Our findings reveal the rich coupling among electronic, magnetic, and optical orders in sliding multiferroics, illustrating new prospects for ultralow-power spintronic and optoelectronic devices.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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Access Document
- Files:
-
-
(Preview, Accepted manuscript, pdf, 12.3MB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1021/acsami.5c19598
Authors
- Funder identifier:
- https://ror.org/0426zh255
- Grant:
- 2024M760423
- Funder identifier:
- https://ror.org/01h0zpd94
- Grant:
- 11574244
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society
- Journal:
- ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces More from this journal
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 51
- Pages:
- 69856-69865
- Publication date:
- 2025-12-15
- Acceptance date:
- 2025-12-01
- DOI:
- EISSN:
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1944-8252
- ISSN:
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1944-8244
- Pmid:
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41395648
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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2352943
- Local pid:
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pubs:2352943
- Deposit date:
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2026-03-02
- ARK identifier:
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- American Chemical Society
- Copyright date:
- 2025
- Rights statement:
- Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
- Notes:
- The author accepted manuscript (AAM) of this paper has been made available under the University of Oxford's Open Access Publications Policy, and a CC BY public copyright licence has been applied.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
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