Cation-ordered A1/2′A1/2″B2X4 magnetic spinels as magnetoelectrics

We show that 1:1 ordering of A′ and A″ cations in A1/2′A1/2″B2X4 magnetic spinels results in appearance of magnetoelectric properties. Possible value of magnetically induced electric polarization is calculated using the recently proposed microscopic model, which takes into account spin-dependent electric dipole moments of magnetic ions located in noncentrosymmetric crystallographic positions. We build phenomenological models of magnetic phase transitions in cation-ordered spinels, which describe ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic ordering patterns of B cation spins, and calculate the respective magnetoelectric responses. We find that magnetoelectric coefficients diverge at ferromagnetic or weak ferromagnetic phase transitions in ordered spinels.