Multiferroism in hexagonally stabilized TmFeO3 thin films below 120 K

Abstract

TmFeO3 is known to have an orthorhombic structure characterized by the corner-linked FeO6 octahedra in a three-dimensional network (space group Pnma). Thus, it is expected to be non-ferroelectric. In the present study, however, we have stabilized a hexagonal TmFeO3 thin-film heterostructure by adopting hexagonal templates. In this way, we are able to artificially impose multiferroism on the epitaxially grown TmFeO3 film below 120 K.