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Electric-field switching of g-wave phonon chirality in ferroelectric BaTiO3

Grimes M, Ueda H, Allington CJ, Romao CP, Kummer K, Kaur P, Wang LS, Chang YW et al.

Nature materials, 2026

Abstract

Lattice vibrations carrying angular momentum, known as chiral phonons, offer a route to couple lattice, electronic and magnetic degrees of freedom, but their deterministic control has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate reversible electric-field switching of phonon angular momentum in the technologically relevant ferroelectric BaTiO3. Using circularly dichroic resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, we directly resolve phonon chirality via angular momentum transfer between circularly polarized X-rays and the lattice. We observe a momentum-dependent dichroic response that switches with ferroelectric polarization, establishing a robust and non-volatile gyroelectric effect. The measured dichroism is in quantitative agreement with first-principles calculations. These results establish phonon angular momentum as an electrically controllable degree of freedom and provide a pathway towards phonon-based information and energy technologies.

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