The magnetoelectric coupling in the multiferroic compound LiCu2O2

We investigate the possible types of coupling between ferroelectricity and magnetism for the zig-zag spin chain multiferroic LiCu2O2 compound. We construct a multi-order parameter phenomenological model for the material based on a group theoretical analysis. From our calculation we conclude that a coupling involving the inter-chain magnetic structure and ferroelectricity is necessary to understand the experimental results of Park et.al. Our proposed model is able to account for the electric polarization flop in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. Furthermore, based on our theoretical model we can make specific selection rule predictions about electromagnon excitations present in the LiCu2O2 system. We also predict that the electromagnon peaks measured in an ac-conductivity measurement are field dependent.