Transient Magnetoelectric Coupling Induced by the Dynamic Intertwinement between Exchange Striction and Compensation in GdFeO.

In this study, we investigate the dynamic magnetoelectric (ME) coupling behaviors of GdFeO under pulsed magnetic fields. When a magnetic field is applied along the -axis, and the temperature is near the compensation temperature ( = 3.5 K), we observe a subtle transition involving the reversal of Fe moments at approximately 0.8 T in magnetization () measurements. This transition induces a corresponding jump in electrical polarization (), which is not present in the static field measurements. The dynamic intertwining between and signifies a competition between antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling between Gd and Fe moments and their Zeeman energies. The robust AFM coupling leads to the reversal of Fe moments near , triggering the abrupt change in . Based on the exchange striction mechanism in the ferrimagnetic GdFeO, we propose the possibility of achieving highly magnetic field sensitive ME coupling near the compensation temperature in ferrimagnetic multiferroic orthoferrites.