Magnetic Ordering-Induced Multiferroic Behavior in [CH3NH3][Co(HCOO)3] Metal-Organic Framework

L. Claudia Gómez-Aguirre, Breogán Pato-Doldán, J. Mira, Socorro Castro-García, María Antonia Senñarís-Rodríguez, Manuel Sánchez-Andújar, John Singleton, Vivien Zapf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

184 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the first example of magnetic ordering-induced multiferroic behavior in a metal-organic framework magnet. This compound is [CH3NH3][Co(HCOO)3] with a perovskite-like structure. The A-site [CH3NH3]+ cation strongly distorts the framework, allowing anisotropic magnetic and electric behavior and coupling between them to occur. This material is a spin canted antiferromagnet below 15.9 K with a weak ferromagnetic component attributable to Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interactions and experiences a discontinuous hysteretic magnetic-field-induced switching along [010] and a more continuous hysteresis along [101]. Coupling between the magnetic and electric order is resolved when the field is applied along this [101]: a spin rearrangement occurs at a critical magnetic field in the ac plane that induces a change in the electric polarization along [101] and [10-1]. The electric polarization exhibits an unusual memory effect, as it remembers the direction of the previous two magnetic-field pulses applied. The data are consistent with an inverse-DM mechanism for multiferroic behavior.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1122-1125
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume138
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 3 2016

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