Toward a low-voltage multiferroic transistor: Magnetic (Ga,Mn)As under ferroelectric control

The persistent field effect control of ferromagnetism in a diluted magnetic semiconductor by low-voltage polarizing pulses is demonstrated in a ferroelectric gate field effect transistor configuration. The Curie temperature of the (Ga,Mn)As channel is unambiguously signaled by a cusp in the temperature derivative of resistance. Polarization reversal in the ferroelectric copolymer polyvinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene P(VDF-TrFE) by voltage pulses of less than 10 V results in a reproducible nonvolatile shift in the cusp by as much as 7%-9%. The unique combination of a relatively large spontaneous polarization and low dielectric constant of the P(VDF-TrFE) gate promises a further reduction in the operation voltage.