Mn3TeO6 - A New Multiferroic Material with Two Magnetic Substructures

From magnetic susceptibility, dielectric permittivity, electric polarization and specific heat measurements, we discover spin-induced ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric coupling in Mn3TeO6 and observe two successive magnetic transitions at low temperatures. A non-ferroelectric intermediate magnetic state occurs below 23 K and a multiferroic ground state emerges below 21 K. Moreover, Mn3TeO6 is a candidate for a multiferroic material where two types of incommensurate spin structures, cycloidal and helical, coexist. Theoretically, both spin substructures may contribute to the macro electric polarization via different mechanisms.