Chiral Multiferroics for Detection and Imaging of Circularly Polarized Light.

Abstract

Circularly polarized light (CPL) imaging and detection offer powerful capabilities for anti-counterfeiting, quantum communication, and material analysis. However, their practical implementation is hindered by challenges in achieving broadband performance and scalable integration into compact and flexible devices. Chiral multiferroic materials, chirality-controlled magnetoelectrics, are especially promising due to their unique coupling between CPL-guided electric and spin properties. Here, we report chiral semiconducting multiferroics that exhibit distinct chirality-dependent absorption, enabling dual-mode CPL detection via both photocurrent and ferromagnetic resonance signals. Notably, we demonstrate high sensitivity and stability in both contact and noncontact CPL detection and imaging, achieved through photogenerated charge modulation coupled with magnetic switching. Furthermore, we designed and developed a flexible chiral multiferroic detector capable of high-sensitivity CPL mapping. These findings expand multiferroic materials for high-performance CPL sensors and advanced information processing devices.