Fig. 3: Optical absorption properties of NiI2.

a Optical absorption of NiI2 with magnetic exciton at Ehv = 1.384 eV and two-magnon side-band peak at Ehv = 1.396 eV below TN2. b Derivative optical absorption shows a clear correlation between multiferroicity and the magnetic exciton. (Fig. 3a, b is reproduced from Fig. 2a, c in Ref. 14).