Electro-Optical Effects in YbFe2O4 Thin Films

YbFe2O4 shows interesting physical properties mainly due to its triangular lattice structure occupied by the equal number of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. Here, we present the optical and electro-optical properties of YbFe2O4 thin films. The electronic excitations in YbFe2O4 display strong temperature dependence and these excitations can also be modified by applied electric fields. The field-induced changes in optical properties (up to ~10%) vary almost linearly with applied electric fields at low temperatures, but they disappear above 120 K. The observed electro-optical effects can be interpreted as the effects of external electric fields on the orbital-charge ordering of Fe ions.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/fsrcf_nss/1006/thumbnail.jp