Search

Abstract: We study the influence of the surface of the ferroelectric films on the properties of the intrinsic ferroelectric polarization state in frame of statistical Transverse Ising Model (TIM). The quality of the surface is modelled by the dilution parameter that reflects the relative weight of the paraelectric impurities vs. ferroelectric ions. Using the effective field approach the variation of the average value of spontaneous polarization as function of temperature for different film thicknesses has been investigated as function of dilution parameter . The phase diagram of the system and crossover from the ferroelectric to the paraelectric phase is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In microscale and nanoscale ferroelectric samples, the formation and growth of domains are the usual stages of the polarization switching mechanism. By assuming weak polarization anisotropy and by solving the Ginzburg–Landau–Khalatnikov equation we have explored an alternative mechanism which consists in ferroelectric switching induced by vortex formation. We have studied the polarization dynamics inside a ferroelectric circular capacitor where switching leads to the formation of a metastable vortex state with a rotational motion of the polarization. Our results are consistent with recent first-principle simulations [I.I. Naumov, H.X. Fu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 077603 (2007)] and with experiments on PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 [A. Gruverman, D. Wu, H.J. Fan, I. Vrejoiu, M. Alexe, R.J. Harrison, J.F. Scott, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 20 342201(2008)] and demonstrate that vortex-induced polarization switching can be an effective mechanism for circular nanocapacitors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]