Induced Ferromagnetism at Interfaces between BiFeO$_3$ and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$

ORAL

Abstract

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) exhibit many emergent phenomena ranging from high-temperature superconductivity and giant magnetoresistance to magnetism and ferroelectricity. In addition, when TMOs are interfaced with each other, new functionalities can arise, which are absent in individual components. Here, we report results from first-principles calculations on the magnetism at the BiFeO$_3$/YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$ interfaces. By comparing the total energy for various magnetic spin configurations inside BiFeO$_3$, we are able to show that the ferromagnetism is induced near the interface. We further develop an interface exchange-coupling model and place the extracted exchange coupling interaction strengths from the first-principles calculations, into a resultant generic phase diagram. The emergence of interfacial ferromagnetism should have implications to electronic and transport properties.

*This work was supported by U.S. DOE at LANL under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396, LANL LDRD-DR Program, and in part by the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a U.S. DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences user facility.

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Authors

  • Jian-Xin Zhu

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
    • Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Technologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, LANL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab

  • Xiao-Dong Wen

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Jason Haraldsen

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, James Madison University
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory and James Madison University
    • James Madison University

  • C. Panagopoulos

    • Nanyang Technological University

  • E.E.M. Chia

    • Nanyang Technological University