We demonstrate in situ 90° electric field-induced uniform magnetization rotation in single domain submicron ferromagnetic islands grown on a ferroelectric single crystal using x-ray photoemission electron microscopy. The experimental findings are well correlated with micromagnetic simulations, showing that the reorientation occurs by the strain-induced magnetoelectric interaction between the ferromagnetic nanostructures and the ferroelectric crystal. Specifically, the ferroelectric domain structure plays a key role in determining the response of the structure to the applied electric field, resulting in three strain-induced regimes of magnetization behavior for the single domain islands.

• Received 12 April 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.027204