Exchange bias and strain effect co-modulated magnetic symmetry in La0.6Sr0.4MnO3/orthorhombic-YMnO3 multiferroic heterostructures

The exchange bias and strain effect co-modulated magnetic symmetry in all oxide La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (LSMO) and orthorhombic YMnO3 (YMO) multiferroic heterostructures were studied. Because of the lattice mismatch between the LSMO and YMO layers, the LSMO layer exhibits a 90 degrees rotation growth on the YMO layer. The strain induced growth not only leads to a 90 degrees phase shift in the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) curves, but also brings a two-fold symmetric magnetoelastic coupling energy along the LSMO [1 1 0] direction. With the incorporation of magnetoelastic coupling energy and exchange coupling energy, the exchange bias induced torque shows a phase shift and causes the asymmetry of the peak position and value in the AMR curves. This work illustrates a modulated magnetic symmetry in ferromagnetic/multiferroic systems by interfacial exchange coupling and strain effect, which will benefit the design of magnetoelectric devices.