Ferroelectricity in the Magnetic<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>E</mml:mi></mml:math>-Phase of Orthorhombic Perovskites

Abstract

We show that the symmetry of the spin zigzag chain E phase of the orthorhombic perovskite manganites and nickelates allows for the existence of a finite ferroelectric polarization. The proposed microscopic mechanism is independent of spin-orbit coupling. We predict that the polarization induced by the E-type magnetic order can potentially be enhanced by up to 2 orders of magnitude with respect to that in the spiral magnetic phases of TbMnO3 and similar multiferroic compounds.