In materials showing a linear magnetoelectric (ME) effect, unconventional functionalities can be anticipated such as electric control of magnetism and nonreciprocal optical responses. Thus, the search for new linear ME materials is of interest in materials science. Here, using a recently proposed design principle of linear ME materials, which is based on the combination of local structural asymmetry and collinear antiferromagnetism, we demonstrate that an anion-deficient fluorite derivative, Mn₃Ta₂O₈, is a new linear ME material. This is evidenced by the onset of magnetic-field-induced electric polarization in its collinear antiferromagnetic phase below T_N = 24 K. Furthermore, we also find an antiferroelectric-like phase transition at T_S = 55 K, which is attributable to an off-center displacement of magnetic Mn²⁺ ions. The present study shows that Mn₃Ta₂O₈ is a rare material that exhibits both ME and antiferroelectric-like transitions. Thus, Mn₃Ta₂O₈ may provide an opportunity to investigate the physics associated with complicated interactions between magnetic (spin) and electric dipole degrees of freedom.

中文翻译：

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Mn3Ta2O8 中磁电和类反铁电有序共存

在显示线性磁电 (ME) 效应的材料中，可以预期非常规功能，例如磁性的电控制和非互易光学响应。因此，寻找新的线性 ME 材料是材料科学的兴趣所在。在这里，我们使用最近提出的线性 ME 材料的设计原理，该原理基于局部结构不对称性和共线反铁磁性的结合，证明了缺乏阴离子的萤石衍生物 Mn ₃ Ta ₂ O ₈是一种新的线性 ME 材料. 这可以通过在其低于T _{N 的}共线反铁磁相中磁场诱导电极化的开始来证明= 24 K。此外，我们还在T _S = 55 K处发现了类似反铁电的相变，这归因于磁性 Mn ²⁺离子的偏心位移。目前的研究表明，Mn ₃ Ta ₂ O ₈是一种稀有材料，同时具有 ME 和反铁电状跃迁。因此，Mn ₃ Ta ₂ O ₈可以提供一个机会来研究与磁（自旋）和电偶极子自由度之间的复杂相互作用相关的物理学。