Multiferroics are materials that simultaneously exhibit two or more ferroic orders—stable arrangements of physical properties that can be switched using an external stimulus. These materials could be highly advantageous for the development of various technologies, including non-volatile, low-power memory devices, spintronic devices, miniaturized electronics, neuromorphic hardware, sensors and magnetoelectric devices.
The key advantage of multiferroics is that their different ferroic orders can be coupled, for instance allowing engineers to alter magnetic behavior using an electric voltage. Despite their promise, synthesizing multiferroics that are stable, ultrathin and controllable at room temperature has so far proved challenging.
Researchers at the University of Maryland and other institutes recently demonstrated an approach for creating van der Waals heterostructures that exhibit multiferroicity at room temperature.
Their strategy, outlined in a paper published in Science, was successfully used to create a 2D multiferroic heterostructure in which magnetic properties can be tuned using small voltages.
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