The effect of a magnetic field H<110 kOe on the electric polarization of single-crystal samples of metastable ferroelectric rare-earth metal molybdates $Тb_1(МоO_4)_3, Gd_2(MoO_4)_3$, and $TbGd(MoO_4 )_3$ was studied at 78 K. The experiments showed that at 78 K the applied magnetic field changes the electric polarization and the ferroelectric domain structure of $TbGd(MoO_4)_3$ and $Tb_2(MoO_4)_3$. Effects of two types were observed: a) a magnetic field-induced deflection of the spontaneous polarization vector from its equilibrium orientation (rotation processes), and b) a field-induced nucleation and growth of domains with opposite electric polarization directions in initially single-domain samples (displacement processes). It is most likely that the observed effects are related to the properties of rare-earth metal ions.
Institute of Physics of Solids {Chernogolovka), Russian Academy of Sciences
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