Multiferroic hexagonal ferrites (h-RFeO3, R = Y, Dy-Lu): a brief experimental review

Hexagonal ferrites (h-RFeO3, R = Y, Dy-Lu) have recently been identified as a new family of multiferroic complex oxides. The coexisting spontaneous electric and magnetic polarizations make h-RFeO3 rare-case ferroelectric ferromagnets at low temperature. Plus the room-temperature multiferroicity and the predicted magnetoelectric effect, h-RFeO3 are promising materials for multiferroic applications. Here we review the structural, ferroelectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of h-RFeO3. The thin film growth is also discussed because it is critical in making high quality single crystalline materials for studying intrinsic properties.