Magnetoelectric Effect

Historically, the magnetoelectric effect is defined as magnetic field inducing a proportional electric polarization along with an electric field inducing a proportional magnetization with both effects being described by the same tensor. The effect was predicted by Pierre Curie more than 100 years ago and observed in Cr₂O₃ more than 50 years ago. Recently, a striking resurgence of interest in the magnetoelectric effect occurred because multiferroics were realized to be a potential source of very pronounced magnetoelectric coupling effects. Along with this the term "magnetoelectric" was interpreted more liberally. It is presently used for almost all types of coupling effects between magnetic and (di)electric properties. We investigate a variety of magnetoelectric coupling effects in a broad range of materials.