Deciphering the fundamental physics of ferroelectricity at the nanoscale

Welcome new AI Laurent Bellaiche

New FLEET AI, Professor Laurent Bellaiche (U Arkansas) will collaborate on ferroelectric studies

Welcome to Prof Laurent Bellaiche, whose ongoing research collaborations with FLEET are recognised by him becoming a Centre Scientific Associate Investigator.

At the University of Arkansas (US), Prof Bellaiche leads first-principles-based theoretical studies of ferroelectrics, magnetic compounds, multiferroics and other semiconductors.

He has co-authored over 310 refereed journal articles, his publications have been cited more than 14,000 times (some in the top 1% of the field), and he currently has a h-index of 63.

Within FLEET, Bellaiche works with CI Nagy Valanoor in Research theme 1: topological materials, Research theme 2: exciton superfluids and Enabling technology A: atomically-thin materials, studying the properties of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic heterostructures, and novel topological oxides.

Bellaiche and Valanoor have previously collaborated on studies seeking to harness nanoscale magneto-transport in thin-film multiferroics – a project funded by DARPA (the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency).

Ferroelectric studies at FLEET focus on its potential use as a switching mechanism, allowing a spontaneous electric polarisation that can be reversed by application of an external electric field.

Nagy Valanoor leads ferroic research within the Centre, synthesising ferroelectric and ferromagnetic heterostructures for study at other FLEET nodes.

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