Voltage-driven perpendicular magnetic domain switching in multiferroic nanoislands

We show that, using phase-field simulations, large voltage-driven perpendicular magnetic domain switching can be realized in magnetic-ferroelectric nanoislands with relieved substrate constraint, which is difficult in continuous multiferroic layered thin films due to significant substrate clamping. The as-grown magnetic and ferroelectric domain structures in the heterostructured nanoislands can be tailored by engineering their respective geometric sizes and/or the underlying substrate strain. Influences of the lateral size of the island on the dynamic voltage-driven magnetic domain switching are addressed, whereby an optimum lateral size is identified for illustration. Thus, such three-dimensional multiferroic nanoislands should provide great flexibilities for designing novel high-density spintronic/microelectronic devices with purely voltage-driven means. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.