Magnetoelectric memory effect in the Y-type hexaferrite BaSrZnMgFe12O22**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11534015 and 51371193).

Abstract

We report on the magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of the Y-type hexaferrite BaSrZnMgFe12O22, which undergoes transitions from a collinear ferrimagnetic phase to a proper screw phase at 310 K and to a longitudinal conical phase at 45 K. Magnetic and electric measurements revealed that the magnetic structure with spiral spin order can be modified by applying a magnetic field, resulting in magnetically controllable electric polarization.It was observed that BaSrZnMgFe12O22 exhibits an anomalous magnetoelectric memory effect: the ferroelectric state can be partially recovered from the paraelectric phase with collinear spin structure by reducing magnetic field at 20 K. We ascribe this memory effect to the pinning of multiferroic domain walls, where spin chirality and structure are preserved even in the nonpolar collinear spin state.