Mesoscale Interfacial Dynamics in Magnetoelectric Nanocomposites

Theory and modeling of chessboard-like self-assembling of vertically aligned columnar nanostructures in films has been developed. By means of modeling and three-dimensional computational simulations, we proposed a novel self-assembly process that can produce good chessboard nanostructure architectures through a pseudo-spinodal decomposition of an epitaxial film under optimal thermodynamic and crystallographic conditions (appropriate choice of the temperature, composition of the film, and crystal lattice parameters of the film and substrate). These conditions are formulated. The obtained results have been published on Nano Letters. Based on the principles of the formation of chessboard nanostructured films, we are currently trying to find good decomposing material systems that satisfy the optimal conditions to produce the chessboard nanostructure architecture. In addition we are under way doing 'computer experiments' to look for the appropriate materials with the chessboard columnar nanostructures, as a potential candidate for engineering of optical devices, high-efficiency multiferroics, and high-density magnetic perpendicular recording media. We are also currently to investigate the magnetoelectric response of multiferroic chessboard nanostructures under applied electric/magnetic fields. A unified 3-dimensional phase field theory of the strain-mediated magnetoelectric effect in magnetoelectric composites is developed. The theory is based on the established equivalency paradigm: we proved that by using a variational priciple the exact values of the electric, magnetic and strain fields in a magnetoelectric composite of arbitrary morphology and their coupled magneto-electric-mechanical response can be evaluated by considering an equivalent homogeneous system with the specially chosen effective eigenstrain, polarization and magnetization. These equivalency parameters are spatially inhomogeneous fields, which are obtained by solving the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations. The paper summarizing these results is to be submitted to JAP. We are currently using the computational model based on the unified phase field theory to predict the local and overall response of the magnetoelectric composites with arbitrary configuration under applied fields, and to find the optimal composite microstructure that produces the strongest ME coupling. We have developed modeling and simulations to support Dr. S. Pryia efforts to produce the strongest ME coupling by searching the optimal configuration of applied electric/magnetic fields, and microstructure of polycrystalline multiferroics. An analytical model demonstrates that the optimization of a magnetoelectric (ME) coupling of a laminar magnetic/piezoelectric polycrystalline composite could be obtained by a proper choice of the magnetic and electric poling directions and the directions of the applied a.c. fields. The results have been published on JAP. Our next step is to determine the domain of optimal parameters and configurations by using our optimization theory and computational modeling