Electric-field control of magnetism is significant for the next generation of large-capacity and low-power data storage technology. In this regard, the renaissance of a multiferroic compound provides an elegant platform owing to the coexistence and coupling of ferroelectric (FE) and magnetic orders. However, the scarcity of single-phase multiferroics at room temperature spurs zealous research in pursuit of composite systems combining a ferromagnet with FE or piezoelectric materials. So far, electric-field control of magnetism has been achieved in the exchange-mediated, charge-mediated, and strain-mediated ferromagnetic (FM)/FE multiferroic heterostructures. Concerning the giant, nonvolatile, and reversible electric-field control of magnetism at room temperature, we first review the theoretical and representative experiments on the electric-field control of magnetism via strain coupling in the FM/FE multiferroic heterostructures, especially the CoFeB/PMN–PT [where PMN–PT denotes the (PbMn1/3Nb2/3O3)1−x-(PbTiO3)x] heterostructure. Then, the application in the prototype spintronic devices, i.e., spin valves and magnetic tunnel junctions, is introduced. The nonvolatile and reversible electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance without assistant magnetic field in the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)/FE architecture shows great promise for the future of data storage technology. We close by providing the main challenges of this and the different perspectives for straintronics and spintronics.
Electric field control of magnetic properties and electron transport in BaTiO3-based multiferroic heterostructures
