66 research outputs found
The ferroelectric transition in YMnO from first principles
We have studied the structural phase transition of multiferroic YMnO from
first principles. Using group-theoretical analysis and first-principles density
functional calculations of the total energy and phonons, we perform a
systematic study of the energy surface around the prototypic phase. We find a
single instability at the zone-boundary which couples strongly to the
polarization. This coupling is the mechanism that allows multiferroicity in
this class of materials. Our results imply that YMnO is an improper
ferroelectric. We suggest further experiments to clarify this point.Comment: published version, PRB (rapid comm), slight change in presentatio
Measurements and ab initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the High Temperature Ferroelectric Transition in Hexagonal RMnO3
Measurements of the structure of hexagonal RMnO3 (R=rare earths (Ho) and Y)
for temperatures significantly above the ferroelectric transition temperature
(TFE) were conducted to determine the nature of the transition. The local and
long range structural measurements were complemented by ab initio molecular
dynamics simulations. With respect to the Mn sites in YMnO3 and HoMnO3, we find
no large atomic (bond distances or thermal factors), electronic structure
changes or rehybridization on crossing TFE from local structural methods. The
local symmetry about the Mn sites is preserved. With respect to the local
structure about the Ho sites, a reduction of the average Ho-O bond with
increased temperature is found. Ab initio molecular dynamics calculations on
HoMnO3 reveal the detailed motions of all ions. Above ~900 K there are large
displacements of the Ho, O3 and O4 ions along the z-axis which reduce the
buckling of the MnO3/O4 planes. The changes result in O3/O4 ions moving to
towards central points between pairs of Ho ions on the z-axis. These structural
changes make the coordination of Ho sites more symmetric thus extinguishing the
electric polarization. At significantly higher temperatures, rotation of the
MnO5 polyhedra occurs without a significant change in electric polarization.
The born effective charge tensor is found to be highly anisotropic at the O
sites but does not change appreciably at high temperatures
Experimental evidence for an intermediate phase in the multiferroic YMnO3
We have studied YMnO by high-temperature synchrotron X-ray powder
diffraction, and have carried out differential thermal analysis and dilatometry
on a single crystal sample. These experiments show two phase transitions at
about 1100K and 1350K, respectively. This demonstrates the existence of an
intermediate phase between the room temperature ferroelectric and the high
temperature centrosymmetric phase. This study identifies for the first time the
different high-temperature phase transitions in YMnO.Comment: 10 pages 5 figures. New version, Additional data, Journal of Physics:
Condensed Matter, in Pres
Frequency dependent polarisation switching in h-ErMnO
We report an electric-field poling study of the geometric-driven improper
ferroelectric h-ErMnO. From a detailed dielectric analysis we deduce the
temperature and frequency dependent range for which single-crystalline
h-ErMnO exhibits purely intrinsic dielectric behaviour, i.e., free from
extrinsic so-called Maxwell-Wagner polarisations that arise, for example, from
surface barrier layers. In this regime ferroelectric hysteresis loops as
function of frequency, temperature and applied electric fields are measured
revealing the theoretically predicted saturation polarisation in the order of 5
- 6 C/cm. Special emphasis is put on frequency-dependent polarisation
switching, which is explained in terms of domain-wall movement similar to
proper ferroelectrics. Controlling the domain walls via electric fields brings
us an important step closer to their utilization in domain-wall-based
electronics.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
High-temperature phase transitions of hexagonal YMnO3
We report a detailed high-resolution powder neutron diffraction investigation
of the structural behaviour of the multiferroic hexagonal polymorph of YMnO3
between room temperature and 1403 K. The study was aimed at resolving previous
uncertainties regarding the nature of the paraelectric- ferroelectric
transition and the possibilities of any secondary structural transitions. We
observe a clear transition at 1258 +/- 14 K corresponding to a unit cell
tripling and a change in space group from centrosymmetric P6_3/mmc to polar
P6_3cm. Despite the fact that this symmetry permits ferroelectricity, our
experimental data for this transition analysed in terms of symmetry-adapted
displacement modes clearly supports previous theoretical analysis that the
transition is driven primarily by the antiferrodistortive K3 mode. We therefore
verify previous suggestions that YMnO3 is an improper ferrielectric.
Furthermore, our data confirm that the previously suggested intermediate phase
with space group P6_3/mcm does not occur. However, we do find evidence for an
isosymmetric phase transition (i.e. P6_3cm to P6_3cm) at ~920 K which involves
a sharp decrease in polarization. This secondary transition correlates well
with several previous reports of anomalies in physical properties in this
temperature region and may be related to Y-O hybridization.Comment: Submitted to PR
Hidden order in hexagonal RMnO3 multiferroics
Hexagonal RMnO3 manganites are improper ferroelectrics in which the electric polarization is a by-product of the tripling of the unit cell. In YMnO3, there is a second transition at ~ 920K whose nature remains unexplained. We argue that this transition can be seen as a sort of hidden order in which a residual symmetry displayed by the trimerization order parameter is spontaneously broken. This additional order gives rise to twelve structural domains instead of six, and structural domain boundaries that can be either ferroelectric or non-ferroelectric domain walls
Effect of thermodynamic prehistory on the Curie temperature of polycrystalline sodium lithium niobate
Combinatorial model for the ferroelectric domain-network formation in hexagonal manganites
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