Emergent multiferroism with magnetodielectric coupling in EuTiO(3) created by a negative pressure control of strong spin-phonon coupling

Negative pressure has emerged as a powerful tool to tailor the physical properties of functional materials. However, a negative pressure control of spin-phonon coupling for engineering magnetism and multiferroicity has not been explored to date. Here, using uniform three-dimensional strain-induced negative pressure in nanocomposite films of (EuTiO(3))(0.5):(MgO)(0.5), we demonstrate an emergent multiferroicity with magnetodielectric coupling in EuTiO(3), matching exactly with density functional theory calculations. Density functional theory calculations are further used to explore the underlying physics of antiferromagnetic-paraelectric to ferromagnetic-ferroelectric phase transitions, the spin-phonon coupling, and its correlation with negative pressures. The observation of magnetodielectric coupling in the EuTiO(3) reveals that an enhanced spin-phonon coupling originates from a negative pressure induced by uniform three-dimensional strain. Our work provides a route to creating multiferroicity and magnetoelectric coupling in single-phase oxides using a negative pressure approach.