[Research] Defect-mediated lattice relaxation and domain stability in ferroelectric oxides

A. V. Kimmel, P. M. Weaver, M. G. Cain, P. V. Sushko

Physical Review Letters, 109, 117601 (2012)

The mechanical, optical, thermal, and magnetic properties of materials are strongly affected and, sometimes, dominated by point defects and their complexes. In ferroic materials, changes of the ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties, which either occur spontaneously or accumulate in the course of numerous ferroelectric axis switching events, have been attributed to the presence of defects [read more...]