Tuning the effective anisotropy in a voltage-susceptible exchange bias heterosystem

Voltage control of magnetism is a promising route to energy-efficient memory and logic devices. Cr${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ is a magnetoelectric antiferromagnet that allows for voltage control of magnetic states, and when it is included in layered structures, exchange bias can abruptly disappear. Experiments reveal that this is due to competition between interfacial coupling and the tendency of spins in chromia to align along the crystallographic $c$-axis. This insight allows the tuning of exchange bias at conditions favorable for spintronic applications.