Tuning the Néel Temperature of Hexagonal Ferrites by Structural Distortion
To tune the magnetic properties of hexagonal ferrites, a family of magnetoelectric multiferroic materials, by atomic-scale structural engineering, we studied the effect of structural distortion on the magnetic ordering temperature ( T N ) in these materials. Using the symmetry analysis, we show that unlike most antiferromagnetic rare-earth transition-metal perovskites, a larger structural distortion leads to a higher T N in hexagonal ferrites and manganites, because the K 3 structural distortion induces the three-dimensional magnetic ordering, which is forbidden in the undistorted structure by symmetry. We also revealed a near-linear relation between T N and the tolerance factor and a power-law relation between T N and the K 3 distortion amplitude. Following the analysis, a record-high T N (185 K) among hexagonal ferrites was predicted in hexagonal ScFeO 3 and experimentally verified in epitaxially stabilized films. Furthermore these results add to the paradigm of spin-lattice coupling in antiferromagnetic oxides and suggests further tunability of hexagonal ferrites if more lattice distortion can be achieved.