Giant electric-field-induced reversible and permanent magnetization reorientation on magnetoelectric Ni/(011) [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3](1-x)-[PbTiO3]x heterostructure

We report giant reversible and permanent magnetic anisotropy reorientation in a magnetoelectric polycrystalline Ni thin film and (011)-oriented [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3]((1-x))-[PbTiO3](x) heterostructure. The electric-field-induced magnetic anisotropy exhibits a 300 Oe anisotropy field and a 50% change in magnetic remanence. The important feature is that these changes in magnetization states are stable without the application of an electric field and can be reversibly switched by an electric field near a critical value (+/- E-cr). This giant reversible and permanent magnetization change is due to remanent strain originating from a non-180 degrees ferroelectric polarization reorientation when operating the ferroelectric substrate in a specific non-linear regime below the electric coercive field. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3534788]