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Thickness-dependent dielectric nonlinear properties of 0.78Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–0.2SrTiO3–0.02BaTiO3 thin films in a thickness range of 0.62–1.62 μm were investigated in this work. It was demonstrated that the dielectric properties decreased with the decrease in thickness due to the substrate clamping inducing the degeneration of intrinsic contribution and the reduced domain wall mobility. A low DC electric field promoted domain switching and reversible domain wall motion. The domain mobility was suppressed by a high DC electric field, which resulted in reduced dielectric permittivity combined with the tunability of intrinsic dielectric response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric function of a dipolar liquid exhibits a strong wavenumber dependence in the bulk homogeneous state. Such a behavior seems to suggest the possibility of a strong system size dependence of the dielectric constant (DC) of a nanoconfined liquid, although details have been revealed only recently. The dielectric properties of nanoconfined water, indeed, show a marked sensitivity not only to the size and shape (dielectric boundaries) of confinement but also to the nature of surface–water interactions. For geometries widely studied, namely, water confined in a narrow slit, nanocylinder, and nanospherical cavity, the asymptotic approach to the bulk value of the DC with the increase in confinement size is found to be surprisingly slow. This seems to imply the appearance of a dipolar cross correlation length, much larger than the molecular length-scale of water. In narrow slits and narrow cylinders, the dielectric function becomes both inhomogeneous and anisotropic, and the longitudinal and transverse components display markedly different system size dependencies. This sensitivity can be traced back to the dependence of the DC on the ratio of the mean square dipole moment fluctuation to the volume of the system. The observed sensitivity of collective dipole moment fluctuations to the length scale of confinement points to the possibility of using DC to estimate the orientational correlation length scale, which has been an elusive quantity. Furthermore, the determination of volume also requires special consideration when the system size is in nanoscale. We discuss these and several other interesting issues along with several applications that have emerged in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sliding surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuator enables a large interaction region between the discharge and the incoming flow, facilitating active flow control. A 2D model of the sliding discharge, initiated within a three-electrode configuration, is developed. The high-voltage (HV) electrode is connected to a positive nanosecond pulse with an amplitude of 7 kV, and a positive/negative DC voltage is applied to the third electrode, with a 10 mm inter-electrode gap. To account for the dielectric surface charging process, the DC voltage discharge is simulated for a sufficient duration to reach a steady state before the initiation of the nanosecond pulse. This study aims to understand the discharge characteristics of sliding SDBD and to investigate the effects of different polarities and amplitudes of the DC voltage on surface charge distribution, surface ionization wave propagation, electric field evolution, and hydrodynamic perturbations. With the application of negative DC voltage, the deposited surface charge on the dielectric surface neutralizes positive charges at the streamer head, enhancing the electric field at the discharge front, which extends the plasma length up to the third electrode. In contrast, a positive DC voltage impedes net charge transfer, thereby inhibiting the formation of a sliding discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The split-charge equilibration method is extended to describe dissipative charge transfer similarly as the Drude model, whereby the complex-valued frequency-dependent dielectric permittivities or conductivities of dielectrics and metals can be mimicked at non-zero frequencies. To demonstrate its feasibility, a resistor–capacitor circuit is simulated using an all-atom representation for the resistor and capacitor. The dynamics reproduce the expected charging process and Nyquist noise, the latter resulting from the thermal voltages acting on individual split charges. The method bears promise to model friction caused by the motion of charged particles past metallic or highly polarizable media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of spin and charge-ordered phases in La1.67Sr0.33NiO4 single crystal have been investigated using high-frequency dielectric spectroscopy. The measurements were carried out in frequencies between 0.156 and 316 MHz and temperatures from 50 to 320 K. The intrinsic part of the response by excluding the Maxwell–Wagner relaxation region is obtained below TSDW ∼ 120 K. The intrinsic frequency-dependent real dielectric constant ɛ′ and conductivity σ′ can be well described in terms of the constant phase element revealing a complex charge-hopping process. Our results are in agreement with the spin-density-wave puddles' picture observed by the scanning micro-x-ray diffraction technique. These demonstrate that high-frequency dielectric spectroscopy can be utilized for investigating the various order phases in other transition metal oxides by considering their intrinsic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sizable glass formers feature numerous unique properties and potential applications, but many questions regarding their glass transition dynamics have not been resolved yet. Here, we have analyzed structural relaxation times measured as a function of temperature and pressure in combination with the equation of state obtained from pressure–volume–temperature measurements. Despite evidence from previous dielectric studies indicating a remarkable sensitivity of supercooled dynamics to compression, and contrary to intuition, our results demonstrated the proof for the almost equivalent importance of thermal energy and free volume fluctuations in controlling reorientation dynamics of sizable molecules. The found scaling exponent γ = 3.0 and Ev/Ep ratio of 0.6 were typical for glass-forming materials with relaxation dynamics determined by both effects with a minor advantage of thermal fluctuations involvement. It shows that the high values of key parameters characterizing the sensitivity of the glass transition dynamics to pressure changes, i.e., activation volume ΔV and dTg/dP, are not a valid premise for a remarkable contribution of volume to glass transition dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulating the dielectric spectra of solvents requires the nuanced definition of inter- and intra-molecular forces. Non-polarizable force fields, while thoroughly benchmarked for dielectric applications, do not capture all the spectral features of solvents, such as water. Conversely, polarizable force fields have been largely untested in the context of dielectric spectroscopy but include charge and dipole fluctuations that contribute to intermolecular interactions. We benchmark non-polarizable force fields and the polarizable force fields AMOEBA03 and HIPPO for liquid water and find that the polarizable force fields can capture all the experimentally observed spectral features with varying degrees of accuracy. However, the non-polarizable force fields miss at least one peak. To diagnose this deficiency, we decompose the liquid water spectra from polarizable force fields at multiple temperatures into static and induced dipole contributions and find that the peak originates from induced dipole contributions. Broadening our inquiry to other solvents parameterized with the AMOEBA09 force field, we demonstrate good agreement between the experimental and simulated dielectric spectra of methanol and formamide. To produce these spectra, we develop a new computational approach to calculate the dielectric spectrum via the fluctuation dissipation theorem. This method minimizes the error in both the low and high frequency portions of the spectrum, improving the overall accuracy of the simulated spectrum and broadening the computed frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conductivity type is one of the most fundamental transport properties of semiconductors, which is usually identified by fabricating the field-effect transistor, the Hall-effect device, etc. However, it is challenging to obtain an Ohmic contact if the sample is down to nanometer-scale because of the small size and intrinsic heterogeneity. Noncontact dielectric force microscopy (DFM) can identify the conductivity type of the sample by applying a DC gate voltage to the tip, which is effective in tuning the accumulation or depletion of charge carriers. Here, we further developed a dual-modulation DFM, which simplified the conductivity type identification from multiple scan times under different DC gate voltages to a single scan under an AC gate voltage. Taking single-walled carbon nanotubes as testing samples, the semiconducting-type sample exhibits a more significant charge carrier accumulation/depletion under each half-period of the AC gate voltage than the metallic-type sample due to the stronger rectification effect. The charge carrier accumulation or depletion of the p-type sample is opposite to that of the n-type sample at the same half-period of the AC gate voltage because of the reversed charge carrier type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical behavior of the square lattices of the hemispherical nanovoids on the surface of the high-refractive-index all-dielectric slabs in the visible range is studied numerically using gallium phosphide as an example. There exist Fano resonances for these metasurfaces for a limited range of thicknesses. The Fano resonances are caused by the interference between the Mie-type scattering resonances of surface pattern elements and the Fabry–Pérot modes of the slabs. The maximum enhancements of the optical Kerr nonlinearity with respect to the bulk material are revealed at the Fano resonances, in particular, for the thinnest nanostructures. Interestingly, no positive correlation between the quality factor and the enhancement of the optical Kerr effect of the metasurface at the Fano resonances is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) phenomena in symmetrically charged binary particle systems under planar nanoconfinement with negative dielectric constants. The SSB is triggered solely via the dielectric confinement effect, without any external fields. The mechanism of SSB is found to be caused by the strong polarization field enhanced by nanoconfinement, giving rise to charge/field oscillations in the transverse directions. Interestingly, dielectric contrast can even determine the degree of SSB in transverse and longitudinal dimensions, forming charge-separated interfacial liquids and clusters on square lattices. Furthermore, we analytically show that the formed lattice constant is determined by the dielectric mismatch and the length scale of confinement, which is validated via molecular dynamics simulations. The novel broken symmetry mechanism may provide new insights into the study of quasi-2D systems and the design of future nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spur reaction, a spatially nonhomogeneous chemical reaction following ionization, is crucial in radiolysis or photolysis in liquids, but the spur expansion process has yet to be elucidated. One reason is the need to understand the role of the dielectric response of the solvating molecules surrounding the charged species generated by ionization. The dielectric response corresponds to the time evolution of the permittivity and might affect the chemical reaction–diffusion of the species in a spur expansion process. This study examined the competitive relationship between reaction–diffusion kinetics and the dielectric response by solving the Debye–Smoluchowski equation while considering the dielectric response. The Coulomb force between the charged species gradually decreases with the dielectric response. Our calculation results found a condition where fast recombination occurs before the dielectric response is complete. Although it has been reported that the primary G-values of free electrons depend on the static dielectric constant under low-linear-energy transfer radiation-induced ionization, we propose that considering the dielectric response can provide a deeper insight into fast recombination reactions under high-linear-energy transfer radiation- or photo-induced ionization. Our simulation method enables the understanding of fast radiation-induced phenomena in liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer dielectrics with excellent capacitive performance are urgently needed in advanced electrical and electronic systems. However, due to the dramatic increase in the conduction loss, the energy density and efficiency of polymers degrade severely at elevated temperatures, limiting their application in harsh environments up to 150 °C. Herein, an all-organic polyurea (PU)/polyetherimide (PEI) blend film is designed to prepare high-temperature polymer dielectric. It is found that carrier traps can be introduced by blending, and the hydrogen bond between PU and PEI increases the trap depth, leading to suppressed leakage current and enhanced breakdown strength, thus improving the energy storage performance. PU/30%PEI exhibits a high discharged energy density of ∼3.74 J/cm3 with an efficiency higher than 90% at 150 °C, which is 78% and 70% higher than pristine PU and PEI, respectively. This work provides a facile strategy to improve the energy storage performance of polymer dielectrics by introducing deep traps through blending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally investigate phase shift gained by electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) on a dielectric substrate. We systematically examined the dependence of the phase shift on the radiation frequency and 2DES electron density for the GaAs semiconductor substrate. A theoretical approach was developed that found good agreement with experimental results. We demonstrate a practically achievable phase shift of 105 °. Obtained findings pave the way for the design of terahertz devices that can manipulate the radiation phase in a controlled and precise manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as electric field-dependent sensor devices, understanding their dielectric response is crucial as the orientation of polar groups is largely affected by confinement. To shed light on this at the molecular level, the response to a static field was computationally investigated for two structurally related MOFs, depending on their loading with guest molecules. The pillared-layer MOFs differ in their pillar moiety, with one bearing a rotatable permanent dipole moment and the other being non-polar. Two guest molecules with and without polarity, namely, methanol and methane, were considered. A comprehensive picture of the response of the guest molecules could be achieved with respect to both the amount and polarity of the confined species. For both MOFs, the dielectric response is very sensitive to the introduction of methanol, showing an anisotropic and non-linear increase in the system's relative permittivity expressed by a strongly increasing polarization response to external electric fields scaling with the number of confined methanol molecules. As expected, the effect of methane in the non-dipolar MOF is negligible, whereas subtle differences can be observed for the dipolar response of the MOF with rotatable dipolar linker groups. Taking advantage of these anisotropic and guest-molecule-specific confinement effects may open pathways for future sensing applications. Finally, methanol-induced global framework dynamics were observed in both MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[001]-textured 0.4P(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.25PbZrO3-0.35PbTiO3-0.5%MnO2 (Mn-PMN-PZT) ceramics were fabricated by templated grain growth using 2 vol. % BaTiO3 in this paper. Full matrices of dielectric (ɛij), elastic (sij, cij), and piezoelectric (dij) parameters were obtained by the resonance–antiresonance method. The dielectric constant ɛ33T of textured ceramics reaches 2600, which is four times that of random ceramics. Textured Mn-PMN-PZT ceramics exhibit high d33 = 984 pC/N and high k33 = 0.89, which is much larger than d33 = 223 pC/N and k33 = 0.70 of random ceramics. However, ɛ11T of ceramics decreases by about 30% after texturing, and the corresponding shear coupling coefficient k15 also decreases from 0.66 to 0.44, which may be due to the reduction in the angle between spontaneous polarization and transverse direction. Furthermore, the temperature stability of the textured ceramics was evaluated as well. The phase transition temperature TR−T was determined by the impedance method to be 120 °C. The textured Mn-PMN-PZT ceramic shows high temperature stability, which is better than PMN-PT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen defects are introduced into PbZr0.5Ti0.5O3 films and their impact on ferroelectric behavior, linear dielectric response (LDR), and nonlinear dielectric response (NDR) is studied. Apart from a notable decrease in both polarization and LDR permittivity, the frequency spectra of LDR exhibit a distinctive loss peak. The peak position varies with temperature and oxygen defect concentration. NDR parameters, including the Rayleigh coefficient (α1), the slope (α2) correlating the imaginary part of permittivity with the ac electric field, and the slope (k) between the real and the imaginary parts of permittivity, demonstrate diverse behaviors in response to temperature and oxygen defect concentration. The similarity in the frequency spectra of tanδ and 1/k reveals the correlation between LDR and NDR induced by the presence of oxygen defects. These observations are attributed to the behavior of the single and composite defects associated with oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of lithium battery technology is leading to the increasing miniaturization of electronic devices, thereby elevating the demand for dielectric materials with exceptionally high thermal conductivity and dielectric properties. In this study, the composites were fabricated by integrating multilayer core-shell hybrid structure particles into silicone rubber (SR). These particles were created by attaching the conductive polymer polypyrrole (PPy) and the silane coupling agent (KH570) onto the surface of highly thermally conductive ceramic particles aluminum nitride (AIN). The combination of PPy and KH570 serves to enhance the interfacial compatibility between AIN and SR, thereby concurrently enhancing the thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of the composites. The experimental results demonstrated that the thermal conductivity of the 50 phr AlN-PPy-KH570/SR composite was 0.37 W/(m * K), 1.65 times higher than that of pure SR (0.23 W/(m * K)). Additionally, the dielectric constant of the composite increased to 4.59, 1.32 times that of pure SR (3.48). Moreover, the thermal decomposition temperature of the composite was elevated to 475[degrees]C. The synthesized SR composites hold promise for widespread use in miniaturized electronic devices operating in high-frequency and high-temperature environments. KEYWORDS aluminum nitride, dielectric properties, silicone rubber, thermal conductivity Highlights 1. Organic-inorganic core-shell AlN-PPy-KH570 particles structure were prepared. 2. The synergistic effect of PPy and KH 570 improve the thermal conductivity., 1 | INTRODUCTION With the rapid development of lithium battery technology, electrical devices are gradually shifting towards miniaturization [1,2]. This trend demands improved dielectric properties and thermal conductivity in dielectric [...]

We determine the surface tension of aqueous electrolyte solutions in contact with non-polar dielectric media using a thermomechanical approach, which involves deriving the stress tensor from the thermodynamic potential of an inhomogeneous fluid. To obtain the surface tension, we calculate both the normal and tangential pressures using the components of the stress tensor, recently derived by us [Y. A. Budkov and P. E. Brandyshev, J. Chem. Phys. 159, 174103 (2023)] within the framework of Wang's variational field theory. Using this approach, we derive an analytical expression for the surface tension in the linear approximation. At low ionic concentrations, this expression represents the classical Onsager–Samaras limiting law. By utilizing only one fitting parameter, which is related to the affinity of anions to the dielectric boundary, we successfully approximated experimental data on the surface tension of several aqueous electrolyte solutions. This approximation applies to both the solution–air and solution–dodecane interfaces, covering a wide range of electrolyte concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Bi0.5Na0.5)1−xBaxTiO3 lead-free ferroelectric ceramics were synthesized via the conventional solid-state reaction method. Structural and dielectric properties were investigated as a function of the doping concentration, considering x = 0, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 18 at. % Ba. The structural analyses were carried out from the x-ray diffraction technique, including the Rietveld refinement method, and Raman spectroscopy. Results confirmed the formation of the perovskite structure, revealing different crystalline symmetries, depending on the Ba2+ concentration: the single rhombohedral ferroelectric phase (R3c) for x = 0 and 2 at. %; coexistence of both rhombohedral ferroelectric (R3c) and tetragonal antiferroelectric (P4bm) phases for x = 5 at. % Ba; the single tetragonal antiferroelectric phase (P4bm) for x = 8 at. % Ba; coexistence of two tetragonal phases (antiferroelectric P4bm and ferroelectric P4mm) for x = 10 at. % Ba; and the single tetragonal ferroelectric phase (P4mm) for x = 12, 16, and 18 at. % Ba. The characteristics of the phases' transition, investigated from dielectric analysis, revealed the presence of two dielectric anomalies, which indeed have been associated to different phases' transitions, one of them showing relaxor-like characteristics. The obtained results offer new insights for a better understanding on the features of the phase diagram for the studied ceramic system, according to the different observed crystalline symmetries (ferroelectric and antiferroelectric) in a very wide doping concentration. In the light of the obtained results, a new phase diagram has been proposed considering a wider compositional range than those reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuum- or discrete-polarizable models for the study of optoelectronic processes in embedded subsystems rely mostly on the restriction of the surrounding electronic dielectric response to its low frequency limit. Such a description hinges on the assumption that the electrons in the surrounding medium react instantaneously to any excitation in the central subsystem, thus treating the environment in the adiabatic limit. Exploiting a recently developed embedded GW formalism with an environment described at the fully ab initio level, we assess the merits of the adiabatic limit with respect to an environment where the full dynamics of the dielectric response are considered. Furthermore, we show how to properly take the static limit of the environment's susceptibility by introducing the so-called Coulomb-hole and screened-exchange contributions to the reaction field. As a first application, we consider a C60 molecule at the surface of a C60 crystal, namely, a case where the dynamics of the embedded and embedding subsystems are similar. The common adiabatic assumption, when properly treated, generates errors below 10% on the polarization energy associated with frontier energy levels and associated energy gaps. Finally, we consider a water molecule inside a metallic nanotube, the worst case for the environment's adiabatic limit. The error on the gap polarization energy remains below 10%, even though the error on the frontier orbital polarization energies can reach a few tenths of an electronvolt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current–voltage characteristics, space- and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy, and 1D fluid modeling are used to examine the effect of dual-frequency sheath oscillations on the ion and electron transport in dielectric barrier discharges sustained by a combination of low frequency (LF, 50 kHz, 650 V) and radiofrequency (RF, 5.3 MHz, 195 V) voltages, exhibiting the α-to-γ mode transition. On one hand, when polarities of the LF and RF voltages are opposite, an electric field near the LF cathode (due to LF cathode sheath) drives the secondary electrons to the plasma bulk and an opposite electric field between the sheath edge and the LF anode attracts the electrons toward the LF cathode (to maintain quasi-neutrality in the plasma bulk). At the sheath edge, electrons become trapped and ions drift toward the cathode and the anode simultaneously according to their position in the gap. On the other hand, when the RF voltage has the same polarity as the LF voltage, the total applied voltage increases and this yields to enhanced production of electrons and ions in the sheath. To maintain quasi-neutrality in the bulk, the electric field along the gap exhibits the same polarity as the one in the sheath, allowing electrons created in the sheath to be evacuated toward the LF anode. The behavior of the LF cathode is, therefore, controlled by the LF sheath, and, thus, by the LF voltage amplitude, while the behavior in the bulk and at the anode alternates on the time scale of the RF voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A frequency-dependent dielectric constant characterizes the dielectric response of a medium and also represents the time scale of system's collective dynamics. Although it is valuable not only academically but also practically for developing advanced devices, getting the value of a solution at the interface with a solid or electrode surface is challenging both experimentally and computationally. Here, we propose a computational method that imitates the dielectric spectroscopy and AC impedance measurement. It combines a time-dependent voltage applied molecular dynamics simulation with an equivalent circuit representation of a system composed of a solution confined between two identical electrodes. It gives the frequency-dependent dielectric constants of the bulk solution and the interface simultaneously. Unlike the conventional method, it does not require computation of a dipole autocorrelation function and its Fourier transformation. Application of the method on a system of water confined between polarizable Pt electrodes gives the static dielectric constant and the relaxation time of the bulk water in good agreement with previous simulation results and experimental values. In addition, it gives a much smaller static dielectric constant at the interface, consistent with previous observations. The outline of the dielectric dispersion curve of the interface seems similar to that of the bulk, but the relaxation time is several times faster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the high-quality factor mullite microwave dielectric ceramic is employed to introduce in dielectric resonator antenna (DRA). The microwave dielectric properties of ɛr ∼ 5.8, Q × f ∼ 31 240 at 9.66 GHz, and loss tangent tanδ = 1/Q ∼ 2.7 × 10−4 can be obtained by the solid-state reaction method in mullite microwave dielectric ceramic sintered at 1700 °C. On this basis, the resonant modes of the proposed broadband high-gain rectangular DRA are analyzed by using a dielectric waveguide theoretical model and the antenna performance is evaluated by a commercial CST Microwave Studio 2021® software. It has been found that the proposed rectangular DRA can provide a broad bandwidth of 35.9%, a maximum gain of 10 dBi at 3.61 GHz, and a radiation efficiency of 90% in the range of 3.13–4.42 GHz. For demonstration, adequate consistency between the simulation results and the measurement results was achieved. The proposed DRA has great application potential and value in 5G communication scenarios requiring wideband and high-gain antenna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional germanium is considered a promising new channel material to replace silicon owing to its lower effective mass and larger electron–hole mobility. To investigate the transport characteristics of single-layer germanane transistors with gate lengths (Lg) below 5 nm, we utilize an ab initio quantum transport methodology. It was found that the n-type germanane transistors having Lg of 3 and 5 nm satisfy the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) requirements for the on-state current (Ion), effective delay time, and power-delay products of high-performance (HP) devices. Notably, by introducing a negative capacitive (NC) dielectric layer, the p-type germanane transistor having an Lg of 5 nm is almost able to meet the ITRS demands for HP devices. Despite reducing the gate length to 2 nm through the incorporation of the NC dielectric layer, the on-state currents for both n-type and p-type still satisfy approximately 80% of the ITRS standard. Therefore, monolayer germanane presents promising potential as a channel material in a sub-5 nm scale for HP applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric interfaces are crucial to the behavior of charged membranes, from graphene to synthetic and biological lipid bilayers. Understanding electrolyte behavior near these interfaces remains a challenge, especially in the case of rough dielectric surfaces. A lack of analytical solutions consigns this problem to numerical treatments. We report an analytic method for determining electrostatic potentials near curved dielectric membranes in a two-dimensional periodic "slab" geometry using a periodic summation of Green's functions. This method is amenable to simulating arbitrary groups of charges near surfaces with two-dimensional deformations. We concentrate on one-dimensional undulations. We show that increasing membrane undulation increases the asymmetry of interfacial charge distributions due to preferential ionic repulsion from troughs. In the limit of thick membranes, we recover results mimicking those for electrolytes near a single interface. Our work demonstrates that rough surfaces generate charge patterns in electrolytes of charged molecules or mixed-valence ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) can be employed to characterize the passivation quality of semiconducting material interfaces. The interface electric field (EDC) related to the existing charges at and near the interface, including the fixed oxide charges Qox, gives rise to the electric field induced second harmonic phenomenon. In this paper, we calibrate the SHG response for EDC measurement, using Al2O3/SiO2/Si(100) samples with different Qox. To perform this calibration, SHG and capacitance-voltage measurements (to access the electrical field of the samples) were made. The experimental results match well the simulated calibration curve, proving the potential of the SHG as stand-alone characterization technique for dielectric stacks on Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic metasurfaces can achieve effective control of electromagnetic waves and achieve effects such as blocking, enhancing, reflecting, transmitting, or deflecting electromagnetic waves, possessing electromagnetic properties that go beyond traditional materials. Existing research indicates that the dielectric substrate of metasurfaces has a significant impact on their electromagnetic properties. Increasing the substrate thickness will be beneficial for expanding the impedance bandwidth of the metasurface, and changes in dielectric constant will also have some impact on the operating frequency and bandwidth of the metasurface. A metasurface based on an air substrate was proposed through the research of dielectric materials. In addition, an ultrawideband, miniaturized, and high-gain metasurface antenna based on an air substrate is designed. The overall size of the designed antenna is 0.5λL × 0.5λL (where λL represents the wavelength at the lowest working frequency in free space). The measured results indicate that the proposed antenna exhibits a −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 74.3% (2.53–5.52 GHz) and a peak boresight gain of 10.1 dBi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of high-temperature physical properties at microwave frequency is important to interpret the heating behavior of NiO observed in the author's previous studies. In this study, the impedance (4 Hz–5 MHz) and permittivity [at the microwave frequency (2.45 GHz)] of NiO powder particles were measured from room temperature (RT) to 800 °C. At high frequency above 100 kHz, the conductivity is almost independent of temperature up to a certain temperature (Ti). Above Ti, the conductivity showed a strong positive dependence on the temperature. In this region, the apparent activation energy is determined to be 0.51 eV, which is close to that of the previously reported large polaron transport mechanism (band-like conduction). It was also shown that the conductivity increased linearly with frequency and that a dielectric conductivity relation (σ = ωε″) holds, which is different from the hopping mechanism of the small polaron. Considering these results, it was understood that the temperature increase occurred preferentially in the microwave E-field. The slow increase from the room temperature is due to a small but finite dielectric loss at room temperature, and because of the low conductivity, induction current is not effectively generated in the H-field. On the other hand, after a certain time, the temperature rises to reach the large temperature-dependent conductivity, and then, a significant temperature rise occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic responses of copper titanates to alternating electric fields with different strengths are characterized in terms of dielectric spectrums. This work extends the introduction of quasipolaron surface polarization (QSP). A collective of quasipolarons pinned at grain surfaces is involved in the electric polarization, which is confirmed by the quadratic polarization–permittivity relation. Because electric polarization is a macroscopic quantum effect, the QSP is described in terms of the density of states (DOS). As a sign of reverse ferroelectricity, dielectric hysteresis loops of reverse-S shape reveal that the characteristic remnant polarization is proportional to the DOS ratio of quasipolaron surface excited to ground states. Although the DOS of the surface ground state is dependent on the mole ratio of quasipolaron quantity, both the DOS and the energy levels of surface excited states show the intrinsic angular-frequency dependence in a power function manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of the dielectric permittivity of ferroelectric materials on electric field magnitude impacts the performance of ferroelectric devices. In a ferroelectric generator, a shock wave travels through the ferroelectric element and depolarizes it, and surface charges are released from the element electrodes, resulting in the generation of a megawatt power level for several microseconds. The dielectric properties of the compressed and uncompressed zones of the ferroelectric element affect the generated voltage and energy. The results of previous studies indicate that the low-field dielectric permittivity of poled Pb0.99(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.98Nb0.02O3 (PZT 95/5) ferroelectrics in the uncompressed zone differs significantly from the high-field permittivity. Herein, the results are presented from the experimental investigation of the high-field permittivity of poled uncompressed PZT 95/5 ferroelectric ceramics and films, PZT 52/48 ferroelectric ceramics, and rhombohedral 0.27Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–0.47Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.26PbTiO3 (0.27PIN-PMN-0.26PT) and 0.68Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.32PbTiO3 (0.68PMN-0.32PT) ferroelectric single crystals. The dependences of the permittivity on the electric field were determined using a pulsed electric field ranging from 0.1 to 10 kV/mm. The data indicate that the application of a pulsed high electric field results in a fourfold increase in the relative permittivity of PZT 95/5 ceramics and films over the small signal value (from 300 to 1200), and a threefold increase in the permittivity of single-domain [111]c cut and poled 0.27PIN-PMN-0.26PT crystals (from 700 to 2100), while a high electric field does not have a significant impact on the permittivity of PZT 52/48 ceramics or 0.27PIN-PMN-0.26PT and 0.68PMN-0.32PT crystals cut and poled in the domain engineered [001]c or [011]c direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a complete calculation, fully accounting for quantum effects and for molecular flexibility, of the first dielectric virial coefficient of water and its isotopologues. The contribution of the electronic polarizability is computed from a state-of-the-art intramolecular potential and polarizability surface from the literature, and its small temperature dependence is quantified. The dipolar polarizability is calculated in a similar manner with an accurate literature dipole-moment surface; it differs from the classical result both due to the different molecular geometries sampled at different temperatures and due to the quantization of rotation. We calculate the dipolar contribution independently from spectroscopic information in the HITRAN2020 database and find that the two methods yield consistent results. The resulting first dielectric virial coefficient provides a complete description of the dielectric constant at low density that can be used in humidity metrology and as a boundary condition for new formulations for the static dielectric constant of water and heavy water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a simple cutoff-based method for precise electrostatic energy calculations in the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of point-particle systems. Our method employs a theoretically derived smooth pair potential function to define electrostatic energy, offering stability and computational efficiency in MD simulations. Instead of imposing specific physical conditions, such as dielectric environments or charge neutrality, we focus on the relationship represented by a single summation formula of charge-weighted pair potentials. This approach allows an accurate energy approximation for each particle, enabling a straightforward error analysis. The resulting particle-dependent pair potential captures the charge distribution information, making it suitable for heterogeneous systems and ensuring an enhanced accuracy through distant information inclusion. Numerical investigations of the Madelung constants of crystalline systems validate the method's accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, optical anapole resonances in nanostructures have attracted increasing attention due to the strong field confinement and substantially suppressed scattering. This study provides the results of three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations exhibiting the possibility of the anapole state in high refractive index dielectric nanohole array metasurfaces having different profiles of the holes (square, hexagon, and octagon). Behavior of the effective optical Kerr nonlinearity of the metasurfaces in the vicinity of the anapole state is investigated. Depending on the geometry, the absolute value of the effective nonlinear Kerr coefficient of the metasurface may be up to three orders of magnitude greater than that of the unstructured film. A square transverse section of the nanohole is preferable for the optical Kerr effect in the holey metasurfaces. The effect of the random rotation of the square holes representing the metasurface irregularity on the optical nonlinearity is examined. As a result, the dielectric nanohole array metasurfaces display a concrete possibility to have the anapole state with large enhancement of the optical nonlinearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionizable copolymers assembly in solutions is driven by the formation of ionic clusters. Fast clustering of the ionizable blocks often leads to the formation of far-from equilibrium assemblies that ultimately impact the structure of polymer membranes and affect their many applications. Using large-scale atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we probe the effects of electrostatics on the formation of ionizable copolymer micelles that dominate their solution structure, with the overarching goal of defining the factors that control the assembly of structured ionizable copolymers. A symmetric pentablock ionizable copolymer, with a randomly sulfonated polystyrene center tethered to polyethylene-r-propylene block, terminated by poly(t-butyl styrene), in solvents of varying dielectric constants from 2 to 20, serves as the model system. We find that independent of the solvents, this polymer forms a core–shell micelle with the ionizable segment segregating to the center of the assembly. The specific block conformation, however, strongly depends on the sulfonation levels and the dielectric constant and the polarity of the solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The domain reversal dynamics of the pristine and 10 wt. % BiFeO3 nanoparticle-embedded P(VDF-TrFE) (polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) flexible ferroelectric membranes were investigated. A scaling relation of A∝fαE0β relevant to the domain reversal dynamics was eventually determined. The pristine P(VDF-TrFE) flexible membrane takes the form of A∝f0.04077E00.39748 in stage III of high electric fields. Nevertheless, for BiFeO3-embedded P(VDF-TrFE) [BFO/P(VDF-TrFE)] flexible membranes, the relations are developed as A∝f−0.3326E02.74911 in the low electric fields of stage I and as A∝f0.04309E01.04872 in stage III separately. The negative α indicates that more and more domain reversal lags behind the alternating periodic electric field in stage I. Instead, in stage III, the positive α indicates that most domain reversals can occur anytime whatever the alternating speed of electric fields is. Analogously, the positive β indicates that at any selected frequency, domains can flip at an external electric field. Abnormally, for the pristine P(VDF-TrFE) membrane, the scaling relation in the first E0 stage is broken, reflecting only dielectric contributions this time. The dynamic scaling data are significant for the micromechanism accomplishments of copolymers and for the designs of flexible electric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the first fabrication and investigation of normally-off single crystal hydrogen-sterminated diamond MOSFETs with Ga2O3 dielectric has been successfully carried out. 50-nm-thick Ga2O3 was deposited by electron-beam evaporation technique at room temperature. The maximum drain current was −36 mA/mm, which was 164 times larger than previous work. Based on the transfer characteristic curve, the threshold voltage, on/off ratio and extrinsic transconductance were −0.37 V, 2.3 × 107, and 9.8 mS/mm, respectively. The effective mobility of the MOSFET was calculated to be 264.1 cm2/V ⋅s at VGS = − 1 V. This work may significantly promote the application of H-diamond FETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the first fabrication and investigation of normally-off single crystal hydrogen-sterminated diamond MOSFETs with Ga2O3 dielectric has been successfully carried out. 50-nm-thick Ga2O3 was deposited by electron-beam evaporation technique at room temperature. The maximum drain current was −36 mA/mm, which was 164 times larger than previous work. Based on the transfer characteristic curve, the threshold voltage, on/off ratio and extrinsic transconductance were −0.37 V, 2.3 × 107, and 9.8 mS/mm, respectively. The effective mobility of the MOSFET was calculated to be 264.1 cm2/V ⋅s at VGS = − 1 V. This work may significantly promote the application of H-diamond FETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affected by environmental states and power supply parameters, the discharge mode of surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma may gradually transfer from O3 mode to NO x mode, resulting in various gas-phase species for different applications. Despite the intensive study of attempts to control this discharge mode transition by changing discharge conditions and power excitations in recent years, the effects of the pulse rise time and the pulse width on the discharge mode transition have not been discussed. In the present study, a SDBD was excited by repetitive pulses with different pulse rise times or pulse widths, and the time-varying concentrations of key long-lived species (O3 and NO2) were quantified. The results demonstrated that it was possible to modulate the discharge mode by adjusting pulse rise time/pulse width. The quenching of O3 was observed to occur at a faster rate and the mode transition was noted to occur at an earlier point in time as the pulse rise time decreased from 225 ns to 125 ns and the pulse width increased from 0.5 μ s to 4 μ s. The employment of a zero-dimensional model for the analysis of plasma chemical kinetics revealed that the reduction in pulse rise time and the prolongation of pulse width resulted in an increase in the mean vibrational energy of N2(v) and a more rapid electrode temperature rise caused by plasma heating. The former enhanced the generation of NO, while the latter accelerated the thermal decomposition of O3, thereby promoting the speed of mode transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-pot method using a dielectric barrier discharge microplasma reactor was employed to rapidly and conveniently prepare glutathione-protected platinum nanoclusters (GSH@PtNCs) with green fluorescence emission. Based on the inner filter effect (IFE), the synthesized GSH@PtNCs were utilized to achieve fast, sensitive and selective detection of malachite green. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first objective of this research is to develop two effective techniques for solving inhomogeneous problems in a rectangular waveguide with several circular dielectric and hollow layers. The cross section consists of a four-layer periodic circular structure with alternating dielectric and hollow layers. We assume that the dielectric profile is different in each circular dielectric layer. The first technique enables the calculation of the dielectric profile and the elements of the matrices of circular dielectric layers by using the image method. The second alternative technique improves the first technique by using the $ \omega _{ \varepsilon } $ ω ε function as well as the image method. The second objective is to examine the influence of this discontinuous cross section on the output field. The contribution of the proposed techniques is important to improve the mode model method especially in the case of a large number of circular dielectric and hollow layers in the cross section. The application is useful for an inhomogeneous cross section with several circular dielectric and hollow layers in millimeter regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow features and heat transfer enhancement of electro-thermo-convection (ETC) in dielectric liquids with residual conductivity between concentric electrodes are numerically studied based on an injection-conduction model. The strongly coupled flow field, electric field, and positive/negative charge density of the ETC system are solved numerically based on the finite volume framework of OpenFOAM®. The total variation-diminishing algorithm is adopted to handle the complex nonlinearity of the positive/negative charge transport equations. The bifurcation of plentiful flow states that are characterized by variable plumes and vortex pairs in the ETC system is investigated. It is discovered that the residual conductivity postpones the beginning of ETC flow, inhibits the convection intensity, and also diminishes heat transfer of the ETC system. In addition, the transition sequences of ETC flow are also influenced by residual conductivity. A higher residual conductivity suppresses the occurrence of different intermediate steady-states. Three different transition sequences of steady ETC states at different Rayleigh numbers (Ra) are identified. The critical point where the ETC flow bifurcates to S8 is postponed at higher Ra. And the ETC system is more prone to chaos in a system of higher Ra. The periodicity of the ETC system is analyzed and found that Ra has little influence on the periodicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coupled volume-of-fluid and level set (VOSET) model is extended to the simulation of electro-hydrodynamic (EHD) flow. The good accuracy of proposed model is validated by comparing with previous results. Although the electrostrictive force might be greater than the Coulomb and dielectric forces under certain conditions, it has no influence on droplet dynamic behaviors except the pressure distribution. The electro-coalescence of droplet pair is systematically investigated. In addition to the coalescence and repulsion, two droplets might neither coalesce nor repulse with the repulsive hydrodynamic force and attractive electric force strike a balance. The electro-coalescence of two droplets always happens as long as the electric conductivity ratio is smaller than the permittivity ratio. The critical permittivity ratio separating the coalescence and repulsion of droplets increases as the increase of electric conductivity ratio. The electro-coalescence time of two droplets decreases as the permittivity ratio and electric capillary number increase. Nevertheless, the electro-coalescence time shows different variation tendency as the increase of electric conductivity ratio with different permittivity ratios and electric capillary numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present calculations of energy loss spectra corresponding to slow electrons (100 − 1000 eV) interacting with a graphene monolayer. We use a dielectric two‐dimensional model for the conductivity developed for more energetic electrons (>50 keV) and explore its applicability in the present range of energies. The studied configuration is comparable with energy loss spectroscopy experiments implemented in a scanning low‐energy electron microscope equipped with a time‐of‐flight device. We analyze both theoretical and experimental spectra in order to understand the structures observed in the latter and to elucidate the processes involved. The calculated spectra reproduce qualitatively the positions of the π$$ \pi $$ and π+σ$$ \pi +\sigma $$ plasmon peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel thickness is a key parameter in determining the electrical characteristics of double-gate ZnO thin film transistors (DGTFTs). In thicker channels, the accumulation region is confined to the ZnO/SiO2 (semiconductor/gate dielectric) interface. However, in such devices with ultrathin channels, the accumulation region extends the entire depth of the channel. This work investigates the impact of channel thickness on the electrical characteristics of a double-gate ZnO TFT in the grounded top gate (GTG) and common mode gate (CMG) biasing modes. Gaussian distributed traps are assumed to be present at the ZnO/SiO2 interface with a peak concentration of 1012 cm−2 eV−1 to accurately represent the interface. From technology computer-aided design simulations, it is concluded that in CMG mode, a bulk-accumulated 5-nm-thick DGTFT shows a 15- fold improvement in ON current as compared to its GTG counterpart. However, a 500-nm-thick DGTFT CMG mode shows merely twofold improvement in ON current compared to GTG mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AlxCo1‐xTiO3+δ (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 & 0.8) (ACTO) nanoparticles are synthesized via hydrothermal method at low operating temperature of 423 K/8 h. The diiffraction patterns confirm the tetragonal phases of ACTO along with the secondary phases (*Co3O4). The morphology shows the homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles. In addition, for x = 0.2–0.4, a = b & c values are found to be decreasing from 0.3776 to 0.3771 nm & 0.8887–0.8878 nm, respectively, while for x = 0.6–0.8, the same values are found to be decreasing from 0.3780 to 0.3778 nm & 0.8881–0.8879 nm, respectively. The M–H curves provide the pure paramagnetic nature for x = 0.6 & 0.8 while the weak ferromagnetic nature for x = 0.2 & 0.4. At 8 MHz, the ɛ′ value of x = 0.2 (high cobalt content) shows the stabilized ɛ′ of ≈32.5 and the ɛ″ values of ACTO are changing from ≈1.6–10.6. Therefore, the x = 0.2 shows the high ɛ′ & ɛ″ suitable for high frequency dielectric absorber applications. The exponent “n” values determined using power law fit are noted to be increasing from 0.512 to 0.852 for x = 0.2–0.6 while the same is decreased to 0.664 for x = 0.8. All the “n” values are less than one and shows that the polaron hopping is slower than site relaxation. The mass loss, decomposition of various ingredient species, and other transition temperatures are evaluated by thermal study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum theory of light in real media requires attention to a number of physical features. Even in near-transparent dielectrics, we have to incorporate dispersion, losses and the effects of interfaces. Here, we review the quantization of light in a dielectric and see how this affects radiative processes and light propagation. In the second half of the paper, we turn to optical forces and momentum. There we show why there are two rival force densities in a medium and also why there must be two distinct optical momenta. In the process, this resolves the century-old Abraham–Minkowski dilemma. This article is part of the theme issue 'The quantum theory of light'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]