Room-temperature ferrimagnetism and polar phase in strained La2CoRuO6 films through 3d-4d cation engineering
Materials with room-temperature magnetic ordering and switchable polarization are essential for spintronic devices. Although 3 d transition metal oxides exhibit potential, their Curie temperature (T<sub>C</sub>) remains unsatisfactory, and coexistence of magnetic and polar order has not been realized in 4 d/5 d oxides. Here, through epitaxial strain and 3d-4d cation ordering engineering, a ferrimagnetic insulating state (T<sub>C</sub> ~ 623 K) is achieved in La<sub>2</sub>CoRuO<sub>6</sub> films, coexisting with switchable short-range polar nanodomains. Atomic-scale investigations and density functional theory calculations reveal that compressive strain enhances lattice distortions. These distortions, combined with high-spin state of Co<sup>2+</sup> ions and ordered B-site cations, significantly enhance Co-O-Ru antiferromagnetic superexchange, inducing the ferrimagnetic insulating state. Concurrently, the gradient BO<sub>6</sub> octahedral rotations with inhomogeneous evolution trigger B-site ions' displacements, driving the formation of polar nanodomains. Our work fills the experimental gap in realizing magnetic and polar order coexistence in 4 d/5 d oxides and opens new avenues for designing high-T<sub>C</sub> multiferroics.
Authors
- M. Liu
- Sixu Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2092-1398)
- Yongli Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8634-7475)
- Rui Fen Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0831-8729)
- Yuhao Qiu
- Xuegang Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3084-8681)
- Shenghao Cai
- Chao Yun
- Kelvin H. L. Zhang
- Xiaozhi Zhan
- Dazhi Wang
- Weiwei Li
- Yajing Liu
- Shiqing Deng
- Linglong Li
- Qian Li
- Dong Li
- Shuai Dong
- Kai Jiang
- Erwen Zhang
- Tiesheng Wang
- Tao Zhu
- Ying Zhou
Institutions
- Anhui University (CN)
- Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
- Xiamen University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Dalian University of Technology (CN)
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory (CN)
- China Spallation Neutron Source (CN)
- Ministry of Education (BD)
- Shanghai Dianji University (CN)
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (CN)
- Institute of Physics (CN)
- National Laboratory for Superconductivity (CN)
- Beijing Advanced Sciences and Innovation Center (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing
- Southeast University (CN)
- South China University of Technology (CN)
- Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CN)
- Tsinghua University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-03-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70125-8
- Primary Topic
- Multiferroics and related materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- China Association for Science and Technology
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Government of Jiangsu Province
- Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province
- Nanjing University
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities