Ferroelectric charge order stabilized by antiferromagnetism in multiferroic LuFe2O4

Neutron diffraction measurements on multiferroic LuFe2O4 show changes in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure characterized by wave vector q = (1/3 1/3 1/2) as a function of electric field cooling procedures. The increase of intensity from all magnetic domains and the decrease in the two-dimensional (2D) magnetic order observed below the Neel temperature are indicative of increased ferroelectric charge order (CO). The AFM order changes the dynamics of the CO state, and stabilizes it. It is determined that the increase in electric polarization observed at the magnetic ordering temperature is due to a transition from paramagnetic 2D charge order to AFM three-dimensional charge order.