Electric-dipole active two-magnon excitation in {textit{ab}} spiral spin phase of a ferroelectric magnet Gd$_{textbf{0.7}}$Tb$_{textbf{0.3}}$MnO$_{textbf 3}$

A broad continuum-like spin excitation (1--10 meV) with a peak structure around 2.4 meV has been observed in the ferroelectric $ab$ spiral spin phase of Gd$_{0.7}$Tb$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$ by using terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy. Based on a complete set of light-polarization measurements, we identify the spin excitation active for the light $E$ vector only along the a-axis, which grows in intensity with lowering temperature even from above the magnetic ordering temperature but disappears upon the transition to the $A$-type antiferromagnetic phase. Such an electric-dipole active spin excitation as observed at THz frequencies can be ascribed to the two-magnon excitation in terms of the unique polarization selection rule in a variety of the magnetically ordered phases.

Electrically driven spin excitation in a ferroelectric magnet DyMnO_3

Temperature (5--250 K) and magnetic field (0--70 kOe) variations of the low-energy (1--10 meV) electrodynamics of spin excitations have been investigated for a complete set of light-polarization configurations for a ferroelectric magnet DyMnO$_3$ by using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. We identify the pronounced absorption continuum (1--8 meV) with a peak feature around 2 meV, which is electric-dipole active only for the light $E$-vector along the a-axis. This absorption band grows in intensity with lowering temperature from the spin-collinear paraelectric phase above the ferroelectric transition, but is independent of the orientation of spiral spin plane ($bc$ or $ab$), as shown on the original $P_{rm s}$ (ferroelectric polarization) $parallel c$ phase as well as the magnetic field induced $P_{rm s}parallel a$ phase. The possible origin of this electric-dipole active band is argued in terms of the large fluctuations of spins and spin-current.