History
The term multiferroic was first used by H. Schmid in 1994. His definition referred to multiferroics as single phase materials which simultaneously possess two or more primary ferroic properties. Today the term multiferroic has been expanded to include materials which exhibit any type of long range magnetic ordering, spontaneous electric polarization, and/or ferroelasticity. Working under this expanded definition the history of magnetoelectric multiferroics can be traced back to the 1960s. In the most general sense the field of multiferroics was born from studies of magnetoelectric systems. After an initial burst of interest, research remained static until early 2000 (see figure). In 2003 the discovery of large ferroelectric polarization in epitaxially grown thin films of BiFeO3 and the discovery of strong magnetic and electric coupling in orthorhombic TbMnO3 and TbMn2O5 re-stimulated activity in the field of multiferroics.
Read more about this topic: Multiferroics
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“So in accepting the leading of the sentiments, it is not what we believe concerning the immortality of the soul, or the like, but the universal impulse to believe, that is the material circumstance, and is the principal fact in this history of the globe.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
““And now this is the way in which the history of your former life has reached my ears!” As he said this he held out in his hand the fatal letter.”
—Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
“Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminated. Such is history; such is the history of civilization for thousands of years.”
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976)