Scale effects and the formation of polarization vortices in tetragonal ferroelectrics
We provide a fundamental insight into the absence of experimental observation of classic polarization vortices of the form described by Kittel. Using phase-field calculations, we show that scale and surface conditions greatly affects the stability of polarization vortices making them energetically unfavorable at the fine scale.
Nano-actuator concepts based on ferroelectric switching
We present a novel actuation mechanism based on the collective and coordinated switching of ferroelectric domains. The strains resulting from this actuation are several times larger than piezoelectric strains alone, and we exploit this concept to design two nanoscale actuators.
MATERIALS DEPARTMENT
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5050
