2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/97675We analyze the coupling between the ferroelectric and magnetic order parameters in the magnetoelectric multiferroic BiFeO_3 using density functional theory within the local spin density approximation and the LSDA+U method. We show that weak ferromagnetism of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya type occurs in this material, and we analyze the coupling between the resulting magnetization and the structural distortions. We explore the possibility of electric-field-induced magnetization reversal and show that, although it is unlikely to be realized in BiFeO_3, it is not in general impossible. Finally we outline the conditions that must be fulfilled to achieve switching of the magnetization using an electric field.4 pages, 2 figures, uses revtex4, to be publishedMaterials ScienceStrongly Correlated Electronstext