Multiferroic vortices in hexagonal manganites – Weida Wu
Date: Mon. October 8th, 2012, 12:30 pm-1:30 pmLocation: Rockefeller 221
Topological defects are pervasive in complex matter such as superfluids, liquid crystals, and early universe. They have been fruitful playgrounds for many emergent phenomena. Recently, vortex-like topological defects with six interlocked structural antiphase and ferroelectric domains merging into a vortex core were revealed in multiferroic hexagonal manganites. Numerous vortices are found to form an intriguing self-organized network, and may be used to test Kibble-Zurek model of early universe. Furthermore, emergent conduction and piezoelectric properties were observed in charged ferroelectric domain walls protected by topological defects. More excitingly, unprecedented alternating uncompensated magnetic moments were discovered at coupled antiferromagnetic-ferroelectric domain walls in hexagonal manganites, which opens the possibility of electric field controlled local magnetic moments.