Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Magnetoelectrics

Is CdCr2S4 a multiferroic relaxor? (reply)

  • Brief Communications Arising
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Catalan and Scott1 propose an alternative interpretation for our findings2 for CdCr2S4 in terms of Maxwell–Wagner effects. They also quote related isomorphs, such as HgCr2S4 (ref. 3), which has been discussed elsewhere4,5. As we have shown, Maxwell–Wagner relaxations can indeed strongly affect the dielectric properties of transition-metal oxides6,7 and semiconductors8. We do not find Catalan and Scott's arguments about CdCr2S4 convincing, however, and think that our experiments provide ample evidence for multiferroic relaxor behaviour.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: Temperature dependence of the relaxation rate of CdCr2S4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Catalan, G. & Scott, J. F. Nature 448, doi:10.1038/nature06156 (2007).

  2. Hemberger, J. et al. Relaxor ferroelectricity and colossal magnetocapacitive coupling in ferromagnetic CdCr2S4 . Nature 434, 364–367 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Weber, S. et al. Colossal magnetocapacitance and colossal magnetoresistance in HgCr2S4 . Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 157202 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Catalan, G. & Scott, J. F. Comments on “Giant dielectric response in the one-dimensional charge-ordered semiconductor (NbSe4)3I” and “Colossal magnetocapacitance and colossal magnetoresistance in HgCr2S4 . Preprint at arXiv:cond-mat/0607500 (2006).

  5. Lunkenheimer, P. et al. Reply to comments on “Giant dielectric response in the one-dimensional charge-ordered semiconductor (NbSe4)3I” and “Colossal magnetocapacitance and colossal magnetoresistance in HgCr2S4”. Preprint at arXiv:cond-mat/0701417 (2007).

  6. Lunkenheimer, P., Fichtl, R., Ebbinghaus, S. G. & Loidl, A. Nonintrinsic origin of the colossal dielectric constants in CaCu3Ti4O12 . Phys. Rev. B 70, 172102 (2004).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bobnar, V., Lunkenheimer, P., Paraskevopoulos, M. & Loidl, A. Separation of grain boundary effects and intrinsic properties in perovskite-like Gd0.6Y0.4BaCo2O5.5 using high-frequency dielectric spectroscopy. Phys. Rev. B 65, 184403 (2002).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ritus, A. I. et al. Determination of the parameters of semiconducting CdF2:In with Schottky barriers from radio-frequency measurements. Phys. Rev. B 65, 165209 (2002).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Samara, G. A. The relaxational properties of compositionally disordered ABO3 perovskites. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 15, R367–R411 (2003).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pimenov, A. et al. Possible evidence for electromagnons in multiferroic manganites. Nature Phys. 2, 97–100 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Katsura, H., Balatsky, A. V. & Nagaosa, N. Dynamical magnetoelectric coupling in helical magnets. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 027203 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gnezdilov, V. et al. Evidence for local lattice distortions in giant magnetocapacitive CdCr2S4 . Preprint at arXiv:cond-mat 0702362 (2007).

  13. Lunkenheimer, P., Fichtl, R., Hemberger, J., Tsurkan, V. & Loidl, A. Relaxation dynamics and colossal magnetocapacitive effect in CdCr2S4 . Phys. Rev. B 72, 060103 (2005).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Schmid, H. & Ascher, E. Are antiferroelectricity and other physical properties 'hidden' in spinel compounds? J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 7, 2697–2706 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Physics V, Centre for Electronic Correlations and Magnetism, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, 86159, Germany

    Joachim Hemberger, Peter Lunkenheimer, Robert Fichtl, Hans-Albrecht Krug von Nidda, Vladimir Tsurkan & Alois Loidl

  2. Institute for Applied Physics, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, MD-2028, Moldova

    Vladimir Tsurkan

Authors
  1. Joachim Hemberger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Lunkenheimer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert Fichtl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hans-Albrecht Krug von Nidda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vladimir Tsurkan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alois Loidl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Lunkenheimer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hemberger, J., Lunkenheimer, P., Fichtl, R. et al. Is CdCr2S4 a multiferroic relaxor? (reply). Nature 448, E5–E6 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06157

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06157

  • Springer Nature Limited

Search

Navigation