Mutual Ferromagnetic-Ferroelectric Coupling in Multiferroic Copper-Doped ZnO

A mutual ferromagnetic and ferroelectric coupling (multiferroic behavior) in Cu-doped ZnO is demonstrated via deterministic control of Cu doping and defect engineering. The coexistence of multivalence Cu ions and oxygen vacancies is important to multiferroic behaviors in ZnO:Cu. The samples show clear ferroelectric and ferromagnetic domain patterns. These domain structures may be written reversibly via electric and magnetic bias.