Coupling of order parameters, chirality, and interfacial structures in multiferroic materials

J Phys Condens Matter. 2011 Apr 13;23(14):142203. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/23/14/142203. Epub 2011 Mar 22.

Abstract

We study optimal interfacial structures in multiferroic materials with a biquadratic coupling between two order parameters. We discover a new duality relation between the strong coupling and the weak coupling regime for the case of isotropic gradient terms. We analyze the phase diagram depending on the coupling constant and anisotropy of the gradient term, and show that in a certain regime the secondary order parameter becomes activated only in the interfacial region.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't