The scheelite-type DyCrO4 shows a large linear magnetoelectric effect (magnetic field induced electric polarization) as well as the converse effect (electric field induced magnetization) within ± 3 T. A higher magnetic field induces a metamagnetic transition from the initially collinear antiferromagnetic structure to a canted one, generating a giant ferromagnetic component by about 7 μB f.u.−1. The new spin structure can break the spatial inversion symmetry and yield spontaneous ferroelectric polarization, giving rise to the coupling of ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in a single-phase material.
- Xudong Shen
- Long Zhou
- Youwen Long