Magnetic field induced phases in anisotropic triangular antiferromagnets: application to CuCrO₂

We introduce a minimal spin model for describing the magnetic properties of $\mathrm{CuCrO_2}$. Our Monte Carlo simulations of this model reveal a rich magnetic field induced phase diagram, which explains the measured field dependence of the electric polarization. The sequence of phase transitions between different mutiferroic states arises from a subtle interplay between spatial and spin anisotropy, magnetic frustration and thermal fluctuations. Our calculations are compared to new measurements up to 92 T.