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Mixed-stacked organic molecular compounds near the neutral-ionic phase boundary, represented by tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil (TTF-CA), show a unique phase transition from a paraelectric neutral (N) phase to a ferroelectric ionic (I) phase when subjected to decreasing temperature or applied pressure, which is called an NI transition. This NI transition can also be induced by photoirradiation, in which case it is known as a prototypical 'photoinduced phase transition'. In this paper, we focus on the ultrafast electron and molecular dynamics in the transition between the N and I states induced by irradiation by a femtosecond laser pulse and a terahertz electric-field pulse in TTF-CA. In the first half of the paper, we review the photoinduced N-to-I transition in TTF-CA studied by femtosecond-pump-probe reflection spectroscopy. We show that in the early stage of the transition, collective charge transfers occur within 20 fs after the photoirradiation, and microscopic one-dimensional (1D) I domains are produced. These ultrafast I-domain formations are followed by molecular deformations and displacements, which play important roles in the stabilization of photogenerated I domains. In the photoinduced I-to-N transition, microscopic 1D N domains are also produced and stabilized by molecular deformations and displacements. However, the time characteristics of the photoinduced N-to-I and I-to-N transitions in the picosecond time domain are considerably different from each other. In the second half of this paper, we review two phenomena induced by a strong terahertz electric-field pulse in TTF-CA: themodulation of a ferroelectric polarization in the I phase and the generation of a large macroscopic polarization in the N phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative capacitance (NC) in a planar W-doped VO2 micro-switch was observed at room temperature in the low-frequency range 1 kHz-10 MHz. The capacitance changed from positive to negative values as the W-doped VO2 active layer switched from semiconducting to metallic state under applied voltage. In addition, a capacitance-voltage hysteresis was observed as the applied voltage was cycled from -35 to 35V. These observations suggest that NC results from the increase of the electrically induced conductivity in the active layer. This NC phenomenon could be exploited in advanced multifunctional devices including ultrafast switches, field-effect transistors and memcapacitive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general nomenclature applicable to the phases that form in any sequence of transitions in the solid state has been recommended by an IUCr Working Group [Acta Cryst.(1998). A54, 1028-1033]. The six-field notation of the first Report, hereafter I, was applied to the case of structural phase transitions, i.e. to transformations resulting from temperature and/or pressure changes between two crystalline (strictly periodic) phases involving modifications to the atomic arrangement. Extensive examples that illustrate the recommendations were provided. This second Report considers, within the framework of a similar six- field notation, the more complex nomenclature of transitions involving magnetic phases, incommensurate phases and transitions that occur as a function of composition change. Extension of the nomenclature to the case of phases with less clearly established relevance to standard schemes of transition in equilibrium systems, namely polytype phases, radiation-induced and other transient phases, quasicrystalline phases and their transitions is recommended more tentatively. A uniform notation for the translational periodicity, propagation vector or wavevector for magnetic and/or incommensurate phases, substances is specified. The notation adopted for incommensurate phases, relying partly on the existence of an average structure, is also consistent with that for commensurate phases in a sequence. The sixth field of the nomenclature is used to emphasize the special features of polytypes and transient phases. As in illustrative examples are provided for each category of phase sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]