Unusual tunability of multiferroicity in GdMn_2O_5 by electric field poling far above multiferroic ordering point

The multiferroicity in the RMn_2O_5 family remains unclear, and less attention has been paid to its dependence on high-temperature(high-T) polarized configuration. Moreover, no consensus on the high-T space group symmetry has been reached so far. In view of this consideration, one may argue that the multiferroicity of RMn_2O_5 in the low-T range depends on the poling sequence starting far above the multiferroic ordering temperature. In this work, we investigate in detail the variation of magnetically induced electric polarization in GdMn_2O_5 and its dependence on electric field poling routine in the high-T range. It is revealed that the multiferroicity does exhibit qualitatively different behaviors if the high-T poling routine changes, indicating the close correlation with the possible high-T polarized state. These emergent phenomena may be qualitatively explained by the co-existence of two low-T polarization components, a scenario that was proposed earlier.One is the component associated with the Mn^(3+)–Mn^(4+)–Mn^(3+) exchange striction that seems to be tightly clamped by the high-T polarized state, and the other is the component associated with the Gd Mn^(3+)–Mn^(4+)–Mn^(3+) exchange striction that is free of the clamping. The present findings may offer a different scheme for the electric control of the multiferroicity in RMn_2O_5.

Incommensurate-commensurate magnetic phase transition in double tungstate Li_(2)Co(WO_4)_(2)

Magnetic susceptibility,specific heat,and neutron powder diffraction measurements have been performed on polycrystalline Li_(2)Co(WO_4)_(2)samples.Under zero magnetic field,two successive magnetic transitions at T_(N1)~9.4 K and T_(N2)~7.4 K are observed.The magnetic ordering temperatures gradually decrease as the magnetic field increases.Neutron diffraction reveals that Li_(2)Co(WO_4)_(2)enters an incommensurate magnetic state with a temperature dependent k between T_(N1)and T_(N2).The magnetic propagation vector locks-in to a commensurate value k=(1/2,1/4,1/4)below T_(N2).The antiferromagnetic structure is refined at 1.7 K with Co2+magnetic moment 2.8(1),μ_B,consistent with our first-principles calculations.