Versatile and gigantic magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena have been found for a single crystal of ${\mathrm{DyFeO}}_3$. Below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature of Dy moments, a linear-ME tensor component as large as ${\alpha }_{zz}\sim 2.4\times {10}^{-2}\mathrm{esu}$ is observed. It is also revealed that application of magnetic field along the $c$ axis induces a multiferroic (weakly ferromagnetic and ferroelectric) phase with magnetization [$\ge 0.5{\mu }_B/\mathrm{\text{formula unit}}$ (f.u.)] and electric polarization ($\ge 0.2\mu \mathrm{C}/{\mathrm{cm}}^2$) both along the $c$ axis. Exchange striction working between adjacent ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ and ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$ layers with the respective layered antiferromagnetic components is proposed as the origin of the ferroelectric polarization in the multiferroic phase.

• Received 2 June 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.097205