Magnetic-field-induced ferroelectric state in DyFeO3

Versatile and gigantic rnagnetoelectric (ME) phenomena have been found for a single crystal of DyFeO3. Below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature of Dy moments, a linear-ME tensor component as large as alpha(zz) similar to 2.4 X 10(-2) esu is observed. It is also revealed that application of magnetic field along the c axis induces a multiferroic (weakly ferromagnetic and ferroelectric) phase with magnetization [>= 0.5 mu(B)/formula unit (f.u,)] and electric polarization (>= 0.2 mu C/cm(2)) both along the c axis. Exchange striction working between adjacent Fe3+ and Dy3+ layers with the respective layered antiferromagnetic components is proposed as the origin of the ferroelectric polarization in the multiferroic phase.