Domain evolution of BaTiO3 ultrathin films under electric field: a first-principles study

A first-principles-derived method is used to study the morphology and electric-field-induced evolution of stripe nanodomains in (001) BaTiO3 (BTO) ultrathin films, and to compare them with those in (001) Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) ultrathin films. The BaTiO3 systems exhibit 180o periodic stripe domains at null electric field, as in PZT ultrathin films. However, the stripes alternate along [1-10] in BTO systems versus [010] in PZT systems, and no in-plane surface dipoles occur in BTO ultrathin films (unlike in PZT materials). Moreover, the evolution of the 180o stripe domains in the BaTiO3 systems, when applying and increasing an electric field along [001], involves four regions: Region I for which the magnitude of the down dipoles (i.e., those that are antiparallel to the electric field) is reduced, while the domain walls do not move; Region II in which some local down dipoles adjacent to domain walls switch their direction, resulting in zigzagged domain walls - with the overall stripe periodicity being unchanged; Region III in which nanobubbles are created, then contract along [110] and finally collapse; and Region IV which is associated with a single monodomain. Such evolution differs from that of PZT ultrathin films for which neither Region I nor zigzagged domain walls exist, and for which the bubbles contract along [100]. Discussion about such differences is provided.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, 27 references, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Phase diagram of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 solid solutions from first principles

A first-principles-derived scheme, that incorporates ferroelectric and antiferrodistortive degrees of freedom, is developed to study finite-temperature properties of PbZr1-xTixO3 solid solutions near its morphotropic phase boundary. The use of this numerical technique (i) resolves controversies about the monoclinic ground-state for some Ti compositions, (ii) leads to the discovery of an overlooked phase, and (iii) yields three multiphase points, that are each associated with four phases. Additional neutron diffraction measurements strongly support some of these predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Asymmetric dipolar ring

Describes a device having a dipolar ring surrounding an interior region that is disposed asymmetrically on the ring. The dipolar ring generates a toroidal moment switchable between at least two stable states by a homogeneous field applied to the dipolar ring in the plane of the ring. The ring may be made of ferroelectric or magnetic material. In the former case, the homogeneous field is an electric field and in the latter case, the homogeneous field is a magnetic field

Ferroelectric nanostructure having switchable multi-stable vortex states

A ferroelectric nanostructure formed as a low dimensional nanoscale ferroelectric material having at least one vortex ring of polarization generating an ordered toroid moment switchable between multi-stable states. A stress-free ferroelectric nanodot under open-circuit-like electrical boundary conditions maintains such a vortex structure for their local dipoles when subject to a transverse inhomogeneous static electric field controlling the direction of the macroscopic toroidal moment. Stress is also capable of controlling the vortex\u27s chirality because of the electromechanical coupling that exists in ferroelectric nanodots

Enhanced electric conductivity at ferroelectric vortex cores in BiFeO3

In many large ensembles, the property of the system as a whole cannot be understood from studying the individual entities alone ¿ these ensembles can be made up by neurons in the brain, transport users in traffic networks or data packages in the Internet. The past decade has seen important progress in our fundamental understanding of what such seemingly disparate 'complex systems' have in common; some of these advances are surveyed here

High linearity SQIF-like josephson-junction structures

Abstract-Recently we reported design approaches for the synthesis of multi-SQUID structures capable of providing high linearity voltage response. These structures were developed to form periodic voltage responses. This paper presents possible design solutions for multi-element structures providing SQIF-like high linearity voltage response. The approach is based on the use of a differential scheme of two parallel SQIFs with arrays oppositely frustrated by applied magnetic field . The differential scheme enables a high efficiency synthesis of highly linear SQIF response by subtraction of deviations from linear law