Landau theory description of autferroicity

Abstract

Autferroics, recently proposed as a sister branch of multiferroics, exhibit strong intrinsic magnetoelectricity, but ferroelectricity and magnetism are mutually exclusive rather than coexisting. Here, a general model is considered based on the Landau theory, to clarify the distinction between multi and autferroics by qualitative change-rotation in Landau free energy landscape and in particular phase mapping. The TiGeSe$_3$ exemplifies a factual material, whose first-principles computed Landau coefficients predict its autferroicity. Our investigations pave the way for an alternative avenue in the pursuit of intrinsically strong magnetoelectrics.