Spin textures in BiFeO3-based superlattices

Following our recent success in studying BiFeO3 (BFO), the archetypical multiferroic oxide, as thin films using neutron diffraction on WISH, we propose to extend the study towards a richer system (and concomitantly to push back the limits of neutron diffraction) by investigating a series of BFO superlattices where changing the chemical period of the two alternating materials (one of which is BFO, the other LaFeO3) provides a new control handle on confinement, strain and competing interactions to tune the magnetic and ferroelectric properties in BFO. We have produced high-quality samples that we have confirmed they are suitable for WISH by performing a short test, to explore crossover behaviour between spin cycloids and antiferromagnetism through possibly exotic polar and/or spin textures. Neutron diffraction is the only way to unambiguously determine the magnetic structure in these exciting potentially technologically relevant superlattice systems.