Reversing ferroelectric polarization in multiferroic DyMn2O5 by nonmagnetic Al substitution of Mn

The multiferroic RMn2O5 family, where R is rare-earth ion or Y, exhibits rich physics of multiferroicity which has not yet well understood, noting that multiferroicity is receiving attentions for promising application potentials. DyMn2O5 is a representative member of this family. The ferroelectric polarization in DyMn2O5 is claimed to have two anti-parallel components: one (PDM) from the symmetric exchange striction between the Dy3+-Mn4+ interactions and the other (PMM) from the symmetric exchange striction between the Mn3+-Mn4+ interactions. We investigate the evolutions of the two components upon a partial substitution of Mn3+ by nonmagnetic Al3+ in order to tailor the Mn-Mn interactions and then to modulate component PMM in DyMn2-x/2Alx/2O5. It is revealed that the ferroelectric polarization can be successfully reversed by the Al-substitution via substantially suppressing the Mn3+-Mn4+ interactions and thus the PMM. The Dy3+-Mn4+ interactions and the polarization component PDM can sustain against the substitution until a level as high as x=0.2. In addition, the independent Dy spin ordering is shifted remarkably down to an extremely low temperature due to the Al3+ substitution. The present work not only confirms the existence of the two anti-parallel polarization components but also unveils the possibility of tailoring them independently.

Experimental observation of ferrielectricity in multiferroic DyMn2O5: revisiting the electric polarization

The electric polarization and its magnetic origins in multiferroic RMn2O5, where R is rare-earth ion, are still issues under debate. In this work, the temperature-dependent electric polarization of DyMn2O5, the most attractive member of this RMn2O5 family, is investigated using the pyroelectric current method upon varying endpoint temperature of the electric cooling, plus the positive-up-negative-down (PUND) technique. It is revealed that DyMn2O5 at low temperature does exhibit the unusual ferrielectricity rather than ferroelectricity, characterized by two interactive and anti-parallel ferroelectric sublattices which show different temperature-dependences. The two ferroelectric sublattices are believed to be generated from the symmetric exchange-striction mechanisms associated with the Mn-Mn spin interactions and Dy-Mn spin interactions, respectively. The path-dependent electric polarization reflects the first-order magnetic transitions in the low temperature regime. The magnetoelectric effect is mainly attributed to the Dy spin order which is sensitive to magnetic field. The present experiments may be helpful for clarifying the puzzling issues on the multiferroicity in DyMn2O5 and probably other RMn2O5 multiferroics.