Open Access

Maximilian Gabriel Winkler

• Magnetoelectric (ME) antiferromagnets combine fascinating physical properties due to the cross-coupling between electric and magnetic properties. They support the control and readout of the magnetic state via an electric field. This motivates a quest for new prospective candidates for next-generation spintronics and investigations on their physical properties. Besides the rapidly increasing demand for application-orientated interest, there is a lack of understanding of individual systems and fundamental material properties. Although plenty of candidates exhibit the ME effect, one outstanding material is Co3O4. Due to the textbook-like collinear AFM spin arrangement, the ME free energy expression showcases one of the simplest forms, enabling an ideal playground for investigations into the ME effect. Furthermore, the magnetic anisotropy is extremely weak. Thus, the control of AFM domains via the ME coupling seems quite promising. Indeed, the Néel vector can be fully controlled via theMagnetoelectric (ME) antiferromagnets combine fascinating physical properties due to the cross-coupling between electric and magnetic properties. They support the control and readout of the magnetic state via an electric field. This motivates a quest for new prospective candidates for next-generation spintronics and investigations on their physical properties. Besides the rapidly increasing demand for application-orientated interest, there is a lack of understanding of individual systems and fundamental material properties. Although plenty of candidates exhibit the ME effect, one outstanding material is Co3O4. Due to the textbook-like collinear AFM spin arrangement, the ME free energy expression showcases one of the simplest forms, enabling an ideal playground for investigations into the ME effect. Furthermore, the magnetic anisotropy is extremely weak. Thus, the control of AFM domains via the ME coupling seems quite promising. Indeed, the Néel vector can be fully controlled via the ME coupling by utilizing magnetic field sweeps, rotating magnetic fields, and pulsed electric fields even in the ns-region. Additionally, we have provided unambiguous evidence for single crystals of Co3O4 exhibiting the infrequent ME memory effect preserved in the non-polar paramagnetic phase.…