Magnetic field control of ferroelectric polarization and magnetization of LiCu2O2 compound

A spin model of LiCu2O2 compound with ground state of ellipsoidal helical structure is adopted. Taking into account the interchain coupling and exchange anisotropy, we investigate the magnetoelectric properties in a rotating magnetic field and perform the Monte Carlo simulation on a two-dimensional lattice. A prominent anisotropic response is observed in both the magnetization curve and the polarization curve, qualitatively coinciding with the behaviors that are detected in the experiment. In addition, the influences of the magnetic field with various magnitudes on polarization are also explored and analyzed in detail. As the magnetic field increases, a much smoother polarization of angle dependence is exhibited, indicating the strong correlation between the magnetic and ferroelectric orders.