Article
Physics, Applied
P. C. Xiong, S. Yuan, Y. L. Liu, B. Wang
Summary: Asymmetric surface screening conditions have a significant effect on the formation of vortex structures in a ferroelectric nanodot, and can greatly reduce the critical electric field for vortex switching.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang-Yi Liu, Zhi-Qiang Liu, Yu-Qing Wang, Ying Zhou, Yan Qin, Hui-Peng Lv, Peng-Fei Li, Xiao-Gang Chen, Xian-Jiang Song, Yong Ai
Summary: In this study, a photochromic ferroelectric molecule, tBu-2-FSA, was investigated. It undergoes reversible structural transformations through light irradiation of different wavelengths and can switch its polarization under an external electric field. The ferroelectric domain on the surface layers of a tBu-2-FSA thin film can be controlled by non-destructive irradiation with various light wavelengths. This work opens up possibilities for light-controlled smart materials and biomechanical materials science.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Piush Behera, Eric Parsonnet, Fernando Gomez-Ortiz, Vishantak Srikrishna, Peter Meisenheimer, Sandhya Susarla, Pravin Kavle, Lucas Caretta, Yongjun Wu, Zishen Tian, Abel Fernandez, Lane W. Martin, Sujit Das, Javier Junquera, Zijian Hong, Ramamoorthy Ramesh
Summary: Topologically protected polar textures, such as ferroelectric vortices and skyrmions, have unique properties that can be harnessed for memory devices. In this study, capacitor-based capacitance measurements and computational models demonstrate that polar vortices in dielectric-ferroelectric-dielectric trilayers exhibit classical ferroelectric bi-stability and low-field metastable polarization states. This behavior, tied to the in-plane vortex ordering, offers a new method for non-destructive readout of the poled state.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Pablo Vales-Castro, Miquel Vellvehi, Xavier Perpina, Jose Manuel Caicedo, Xavier Jorda, Romain Faye, Krystian Roleder, Dariusz Kajewski, Amador Perez-Tomas, Emmanuel Defay, Gustau Catalan
Summary: The large electrocaloric coupling in PbZrO3 allows for high-speed infrared imaging to visualize anti-ferroelectric switching dynamics. By introducing thickness gradients, the dynamics can be changed, and introducing thermostatic temperature differences can yield a Janus-like electrocaloric response.
ADVANCED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiwu Shi, Eric Parsonnet, Xiaoxing Cheng, Natalya Fedorova, Ren-Ci Peng, Abel Fernandez, Alexander Qualls, Xiaoxi Huang, Xue Chang, Hongrui Zhang, David Pesquera, Sujit Das, Dmitri Nikonov, Ian Young, Long-Qing Chen, Lane W. Martin, Yen-Lin Huang, Jorge Iniguez, Ramamoorthy Ramesh
Summary: This study elucidates the fundamental role of lattice dynamics in ferroelectric switching and highlights the importance of a dynamic clamping process occurring during switching.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Le Van Lich, Xu Hou, Manh-Huong Phan, Tinh Quoc Bui, Jie Wang, Takahiro Shimada, Takayuki Kitamura, Van-Hai Dinh
Summary: By controlling the compositional gradient in thin films, the electrocaloric effect near room temperature can be improved, leading to different domain structure transitions at different temperatures and achieving enhanced performance. This study provides a new pathway for designing ferroelectric thin films with enhanced electrocaloric properties.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Anna Gruenebohm, Sheng-Han Teng, Madhura Marathe
Summary: The electrocaloric effect, which refers to the adiabatic temperature change of a material in a varying electric field, shows promise for novel cooling devices. However, there are still knowledge gaps regarding the reversibility and time-stability of the response, especially regarding the influence of microstructure elements on the field-induced temperature changes. Ab initio based molecular dynamics simulations have allowed researchers to isolate the effects of domain walls and defect dipoles, and study their interplay. The presence of defect dipoles can positively affect the electrocaloric response, while domain walls do not improve the response and may lead to irreversible heat losses.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Man Zhang, Zhe Chen, Yajun Yue, Tao Chen, Zhongna Yan, Qinghui Jiang, Bin Yang, Mirva Eriksson, Jianhua Tang, Dou Zhang, Zhijian Shen, Isaac Abrahams, Haixue Yan
Summary: This study investigated the activity of ferroelectric domain walls in a lead-free Aurivillius phase ferroelectric ceramic using THz-time-domain spectroscopy, and found that the dynamics of domain walls differ at kHz and THz frequencies. The research showed that domain walls have different effects on dielectric permittivity at different frequencies and demonstrated that THz probing can be used to read domain wall dielectric switching.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Blai Casals, Guillaume F. Nataf, Ekhard K. H. Salje
Summary: Field induced domain wall displacements define ferroelectric/ferroelastic hysteresis loops, and the analysis shows that the avalanche characteristics in different ferroelectric materials are similar, with energy, area, and perimeter of the switched regions following power law distributions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
J. W. Adkins, I. Fina, F. Sanchez, S. R. Bakaul, J. T. Abiade
Summary: In this study, the influence of controllable polarization reversal and built-in electric fields on pyroelectric and electrocaloric effects in a BaTiO3 thin film is examined using a modified indirect method. It is found that the magnitude of the sample's change in polarization with temperature is sensitive to the degree of polarization reversal. The pyroelectric response is small at low fractions of switched polarization and grows larger with higher fractions of reversal. This is attributed to the destabilizing effect of the internal built-in field on low fractions of switched polarization.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Duk-Hyun Choe, Sunghyun Kim, Taehwan Moon, Sanghyun Jo, Hagyoul Bae, Seung-Geol Nam, Yun Seong Lee, Jinseong Heo
Summary: A new topological class of domain walls in orthorhombic HfO2 was discovered, revealing an atomic-scale mechanism of polarization switching with unexpectedly low energy barriers of domain wall motion. This challenges previous beliefs and provides a strategy to reduce coercive fields in HfO2-based ferroelectric devices.
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Yogendra Singh, Satyendra Singh
Summary: This study investigates the electrocaloric effect and energy storage response in lead-free (1-x)K0.5Na0.5NbO3-xBaTiO3 (KNN-xBT) ferroelectric solid solution ceramics. The results demonstrate that the materials exhibit significant electrocaloric effect, responsivity, and recoverable energy density, suggesting their potential applications in eco-friendly refrigeration technology and energy storage devices.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yoonho Ahn, Jong Yeog Son
Summary: The ferroelectric domain switching kinetics of PbTiO3 nanostructures were investigated, showing faster domain switching behavior and lower activation energy compared to PbTiO3 thin film. This insight could be applied to highly integrated and fast ferroelectric random access memory applications.
SCRIPTA MATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xilong Kang, Shuhai Jia, Jun Peng, Hongqiang Yu, Xing Zhou
Summary: This research successfully achieved efficient electrocaloric cooling through the composite of ferroelectric materials and manufactured a high-performance EC cooling device. Compared with traditional fan cooling, EC cooling showed better performance in practical applications.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Guomang Shao, Yangyang Xu, Yumei Zhou, Xiangdong Ding, Jun Sun, E. K. H. Salje, Turab Lookman, Dezhen Xue
Summary: The avalanche dynamics of ferroelectric switching in lead zirconate titanate ceramics were investigated. Two distinct power-law regimes were identified, and the critical energy exponents were determined. The events were attributed to the depinning of domain walls from different types of defects.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
