Interface Magnetoelectric Coupling in Co/Pb(Zr,Ti)O3.

Magnetoelectric coupling at multiferroic interfaces is a promising route toward the nonvolatile electric-field control of magnetization. Here, we use optical measurements to study the static and dynamic variations of the interface magnetization induced by an electric field in Co/PbZr0.2Ti0.

Optical Imaging of Nonuniform Ferroelectricity and Strain at the Diffraction Limit.

We have imaged optically the spatial distributions of ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity at the diffraction limit. Contributions to the birefringence from electro-optics--linked to ferroelectricity--as well as strain--arising from converse piezoelectric effects--have been recorded simultaneously in a BaTiO3 thin film. The concurrent recording of electro-optic and piezo-optic mappings revealed that, far from the ideal uniformity, the ferroelectric and piezoelectric responses were strikingly inhomogeneous, exhibiting significant fluctuations over the scale of the micrometer.