Electric-field-induced magnetic toroidal moment and nonlinear magnetoelectric effect in antiferromagnetic olivines

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kato, Yasuyuki, Hayashida, Takeshi, Matsumoto, Koei, Kimura, Tsuyoshi, Motome, Yukitoshi
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866914380449316864
author Kato, Yasuyuki
Hayashida, Takeshi
Matsumoto, Koei
Kimura, Tsuyoshi
Motome, Yukitoshi
author_facet Kato, Yasuyuki
Hayashida, Takeshi
Matsumoto, Koei
Kimura, Tsuyoshi
Motome, Yukitoshi
contents Beyond conventional electric and magnetic monopoles, electric and magnetic toroidal monopoles, which are rank-0 multipoles distinguished by opposite parities under spatial inversion and time reversal, can exist in nature. The recent observation of electric-field-induced directional dichroism in antiferromagnetic olivine Co$_2$SiO$_4$ has provided the first concrete example of a magnetic toroidal monopole; however, its microscopic origin remains elusive. Here, we propose a minimal spin model that incorporates magnetoelectric coupling via the $d$-$p$ hybridization mechanism and analyze it within the mean-field approximation. The model qualitatively reproduces the experimentally observed temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and its pronounced sensitivity to the direction of the applied electric field. Furthermore, it elucidates the temperature evolution of the magnetic toroidal monopole and the strong electric-field-direction dependence of the magnetic toroidal moment. Our calculations also predict a second-order nonlinear magnetoelectric response, consistent with the symmetry classification of Co$_2$SiO$_4$ as an altermagnet. Additionally, we demonstrate that the same framework is applicable to other antiferromagnetic olivines with analogous magnetic order, indicating the robustness and generality of the toroidal-type magnetoelectric response in this material family.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_22801
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Electric-field-induced magnetic toroidal moment and nonlinear magnetoelectric effect in antiferromagnetic olivines
Kato, Yasuyuki
Hayashida, Takeshi
Matsumoto, Koei
Kimura, Tsuyoshi
Motome, Yukitoshi
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Beyond conventional electric and magnetic monopoles, electric and magnetic toroidal monopoles, which are rank-0 multipoles distinguished by opposite parities under spatial inversion and time reversal, can exist in nature. The recent observation of electric-field-induced directional dichroism in antiferromagnetic olivine Co$_2$SiO$_4$ has provided the first concrete example of a magnetic toroidal monopole; however, its microscopic origin remains elusive. Here, we propose a minimal spin model that incorporates magnetoelectric coupling via the $d$-$p$ hybridization mechanism and analyze it within the mean-field approximation. The model qualitatively reproduces the experimentally observed temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and its pronounced sensitivity to the direction of the applied electric field. Furthermore, it elucidates the temperature evolution of the magnetic toroidal monopole and the strong electric-field-direction dependence of the magnetic toroidal moment. Our calculations also predict a second-order nonlinear magnetoelectric response, consistent with the symmetry classification of Co$_2$SiO$_4$ as an altermagnet. Additionally, we demonstrate that the same framework is applicable to other antiferromagnetic olivines with analogous magnetic order, indicating the robustness and generality of the toroidal-type magnetoelectric response in this material family.
title Electric-field-induced magnetic toroidal moment and nonlinear magnetoelectric effect in antiferromagnetic olivines
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.22801