Microwave magnetochiral effect in Cu2OSeO3

We theoretically find that in the multiferroic chiral magnet Cu2OSeO3 resonant magnetic excitations are coupled to the collective oscillation of the electric polarization, and thereby attain simultaneous activity to the ac magnetic field and ac electric field. Because of the interference between these magnetic and electric activation processes, this material hosts a gigantic magnetochiral dichroism for microwaves, that is, a directional dichroism at gigahertz frequencies in the Faraday geometry. The absorption intensity of a microwave differs by as much as ∼30% depending on whether its propagation direction is parallel or antiparallel to the external magnetic field.