Magnetoelectric Effect in the Antiferromagnetic Ordered State of Ce<sub>3</sub>TiBi<sub>5</sub> with Ce Zig-Zag Chains
Masahiro Shinozaki, Gaku Motoyama, Masahiro Tsubouchi, Masumi Sezaki, Jun Gouchi, Shijo Nishigori, Tetsuya Mutou, Akira Yamaguchi, Kenji Fujiwara, Kiyotaka Miyoshi, Yoshiya Uwatoko
Abstract
In this study, we investigate the magnetoelectric (ME) effect of the newly discovered antiferromagnetic (AFM) compound Ce$_{3}$TiBi$_{5}$ with a hexagonal structure (space group $P6_{3}$/$mcm$). In this system, Ce ions form zig-zag chains that extend along the $c$-axis. We focus on the lack of the local inversion symmetry at the Ce site, although the crystal structure has an inversion center. A theoretical study has predicted that magnetization can be induced by an electric current in the AFM ordering on the zig-zag chain. We conducted magnetization measurements on Ce$_{3}$TiBi$_{5}$ under an applied constant electric current and a static magnetic field around the AFM ordering temperature of $T_{\rm N}$ = 5.0 K. We successfully observed of the current-induced magnetization below $T_{\rm N}$. The magnitude of the current-induced magnetization has a linear electric current dependence and exhibits no magnetic field dependence. This behavior is consistent with the theoretical prediction of the ME effect in the ferrotoroidal ordered state.