Tunable Magnetoelectric Nonvolatile Memory Devices Based on SmFeO3/P(VDF-TrFE) Nanocomposite Films

Utilization of magnetoelectric effects in multiferroic materials hold great potential to fabricate nonvolatile memory devices with outstanding characteristics. In particular, organic thin memories are favorable because of their environment friendly nature, mechanical flexibility, and low fabrication cost. In this work, we have demonstrated a room temperature paradigm two level nonvolatile memory operation by exploiting the nonlinear magnetoelectric effects in flexible SmFeO3/P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite films using organic ferroelectric polymer (P(VDF-TrFE)) as a host matrix. Strong strain mediated interfacial interactions between ferromagnetic and ferroelectric phases in SmFeO3/P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite films allow electric field controlled magnetic switching. The maximum magnetoelectric coefficient (α) obtained is 45 mV cm–1 Oe1– at Hbias= 1 kOe and 16 mV cm–1 Oe1– at Hbias= 0 in electrically poled composite films (30% SmFeO3). The experiments demonstrate that during seven operative cycles for 1500 s, the ...