65 research outputs found
Very large dielectric response of thin ferroelectric films with the dead layers
We study the dielectric response of ferroelectric (FE) thin films with "dead"
dielectric layer at the interface with electrodes. The domain structure
inevitably forms in the FE film in presence of the dead layer. As a result, the
effective dielectric constant of the capacitor increases
abruptly when the dead layer is thin and, consequently, the pattern of
180-degree domains becomes "soft". We compare the exact results for this
problem with the description in terms of a popular "capacitor" model, which is
shown to give qualitatively incorrect results. We relate the present results to
fatigue observed in thin ferroelectric films.Comment: 5 pages, REVTeX 3.1 with one eps-figure. A note added that the linear
response is not changed by electromechanical effect. To appear in Phys. Rev.
Fluctuations, Higher Order Anharmonicities, and Landau Expansion for Barium Titanate
Correct phenomenological description of ferroelectric phase transitions in
barium titanate requires accounting for eighth-order terms in the free energy
expansion, in addition to the conventional sixth-order contributions. Another
unusual feature of BaTiO_3 crystal is that the coefficients B_1 and B_2 of the
terms P_x^4 and P_x^2*P_y^2 in the Landau expansion depend on the temperature.
It is shown that the temperature dependence of B_1 and B_2 may be caused by
thermal fluctuations of the polarization, provided the fourth-order
anharmonicity is anomalously small, i. e. the nonlinearity of P^4 type and
higher-order ones play comparable roles. Non-singular (non-critical)
fluctuation contributions to B_1 and B_2 are calculated in the first
approximation in sixth-order and eighth-order anharmonic constants. Both
contributions increase with the temperature, which is in agreement with
available experimental data. Moreover, the theory makes it possible to
estimate, without any additional assumptions, the ratio of fluctuation
(temperature dependent) contributions to coefficients B_1 and B_2. Theoretical
value of B_1/B_2 appears to be close to that given by experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Abrupt appearance of the domain pattern and fatigue of thin ferroelectric films
We study the domain structure in ferroelectric thin films with a `passive'
layer (material with damaged ferroelectric properties) at the interface between
the film and electrodes within a continuous medium approximation. An abrupt
transition from a monodomain to a polydomain state has been found with the
increase of the `passive' layer thickness . The domain width changes very
quickly at the transition (exponentially with ). We have estimated the
dielectric response (the slope of the hysteresis loop) in the
`fatigued' multidomain state and found that it is in agreement with experiment,
assuming realistic parameters of the layer. We derive a simple universal
relation for the dielectric response, which scales as , involving only the
properties of the passive layer. This relation qualitatively reproduces the
evolution of the hysteresis loop in fatigued samples and it could be tested
with controlled experiments. It is expected that the coercive field should
increase with decreasing lateral size of the film. We believe that specific
properties of the domain structure under bias voltage in ferroelectrics with a
passive layer can resolve the long-standing `paradox of the coercive field'.Comment: 5 pages, REVTeX 3.1 with two eps-figures. Minor amendments. To appear
in Phys. Rev. Letter
Obesity: systemic and pulmonary complications, biochemical abnormalities, and impairment of lung function
Hypothalamic actions of apelin on energy metabolism: New insight on glucose homeostasis and metabolic disorders
Hypothalamus is key area implicated in control of glucose homeostasis. This structure integrates nervous and peripheral informations to adapt a response modifying peripheral glucose utilization and maintaining energetic balance. Among peripheral signals, adipokines such as adiponectin and leptin are of special importance since deregulations of their actions are closely associated to metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. During the past ten years, we have identified a new adipokine named apelin which has emerging role in the control of metabolism. The originality of the apelinergic system is to be largely represented in peripheral tissues (adipose tissue, intestine, etc.) and in the brain. Then, apelin is released by adipose tissue as all adipokines, but also present another crucial role as neurotransmitter in hypothalamic neurons. By acting in the whole body, apelin exerts pleiotropic actions and is now considered as a major determinant of physiological functions. Besides its general beneficial effects on peripheral targets, central action of apelin remains still a matter of debate. In this review, we have made a parallel between peripheral vs. central actions of apelin in term of signalization and effects. Then, we have focused our attention on hypothalamic apelin and its potential role in glucose metabolism and associated pathologies. © 2013 Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York
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