Current-induced magnetization in a polar metal

The magnetoelectric (ME) effect is widely studied in materials with both magnetic and ferroelectric order, enabling potentially transformative low power logic and memory devices and new fundamental science in systems with coupled order parameters. Nearly all ME systems are insulating, where an applied electric field is used to manipulate magnetic order. However, metallic systems with inversion symmetry breaking and large spin orbit coupling can also exhibit ME coupling where neither magnetism or ferroelectricity are present in the ground state. These systems, which exhibit current-induced changes in magnetic order, are rare, particularly at room temperature. Here, we propose to measure XMCD on a promising current-induced magnetization system. Direct XMCD measurements would provide direct evidence of current-driven magnetization. Successful demonstration of current-induced magnetization at room temperature would represent a significant advancement in the field of ME coupling.