General theory for the ferroelectric polarization induced by spin-spiral order

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Oct 7;107(15):157202. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.157202. Epub 2011 Oct 7.

Abstract

The ferroelectric polarization of triangular-lattice antiferromagnets induced by helical spin-spiral order is not explained by any existing model of magnetic-order-driven ferroelectricity. We resolve this problem by developing a general theory for the ferroelectric polarization induced by spin-spiral order and then by evaluating the coefficients needed to specify the general theory on the basis of density functional calculations. Our theory correctly describes the ferroelectricity of triangular-lattice antiferromagnets driven by helical spin-spiral order and incorporates known models of magnetic-order-driven ferroelectricity as special cases.