Electric field induced non-90° rotation of the easy axis of a ferromagnetic film

We report that an electric field can induce a non-90 degrees rotation of an in-plane easy axis of a magnetic thin film. Based on the magnetic hysteresis loop measurements for a FeCoSiB/0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.3PbTiO(3) multiferroic heterostructure, we found that when an electric field induced uniaxial anisotropy field H-K1 is generated in a magnetic film with an initial uniaxial anisotropy field H-K2, and there is a non-90 degrees angle between these fields, the combination of these two fields effectively rotates H-K2 by a non-90 degrees angle. Based on the measurement of anisotropic magnetoresistance, one can see that the non-90 degrees rotation of the easy axis changes the direction of the magnetic field for observing the maximum and minimum magnetoresistance. The mechanism for this non-90 degrees rotation of the easy axis was discussed using the theory of magnetic anisotropy. This research paves a way for the development of magnetic sensors with an ability to control the direction of the measured magnetic field by using an external electric field. Published by AIP Publishing.