Giant effect of uniaxial pressure on magnetic domain populations in multiferroic bismuth ferrite

Neutron diffraction is used to show that small (∼7MPa, or 70bar) uniaxial pressure produces significant changes in the populations of magnetic domains in a single crystal of 2% Nd-doped bismuth ferrite. The magnetic easy plane of the domains converted by the pressure is rotated 60° relative to its original position. These results demonstrate extreme sensitivity of the magnetic properties of multiferroic bismuth ferrite to tiny (less than 10 ^-4) elastic strain, as well as weakness of the forces pinning the domain walls between the cycloidal magnetic domains in this material.