Room-temperature paramagnetoelectric effect in magnetoelectric multiferroics Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 and its solid solution with PbTiO3

We have observed the magnetoelectric (ME) response at room temperature and above in high-resistive ceramics made of multiferroic Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 (PFN) and PFN-based solid solution 0.91PFN-0.09PbTiO3 (PFN-PT). The value of the paramagnetoelectric (PME) coefficient shows a pronounced maximum near the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase transition temperature, T C, and then decreases sharply to zero for T > T C. The maximal PME coefficient in PFN is about 4 × 10−18 s/A. The theoretical description of the PME effect, within the framework of a Landau theory of phase transitions allowing for realistic temperature dependences of spontaneous polarization, dielectric and magnetic susceptibilities, …