Dynamic magnetoelectric effect in multiferroic DyCrO4

The dynamic magnetoelectric (ME) effect of the scheelite-type DyCrO4 has been investigated by measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the dynamic magnetoelectric coefficient (αE = dE/dH). A high dynamic ME coefficient αE is obtained in the multiferroic phase after a poling process under both electric and magnetic fields. The maximum of αE appears at the critical field of a metamagnetic transition where spin fluctuation becomes the most significant. The dynamic ME effect for H ⊥ E is much stronger than that for H ∥ E, consistent with the spin current model. Moreover, the sign of αE is reversed when the direction of electric polarization is reversed by a negative electric field. Therefore, the state of αE can be used to store information in single-phase multiferroics.