FLEET seminar. Domains, Interfaces and Nanoscale Phenomena in Ferro- and Antiferroelectric Materials

Dr. Ying Liu, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney

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Ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials are characterized by intrinsic electric dipoles, which arise due to the spatial displacement of positive and negative charge centres. The electric dipoles are intimately coupled to the atomic lattice. Under external perturbations such as electric, heat, and stress fields, both the dipole and lattice can be modulated. This fundamental property underpins the multifaceted applications of ferro- and anti-ferroelectric materials in non-volatile memories, high-permittivity capacitors, precision transducers, optoelectronic devices and energy harvesting.

The aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy with sub-angstrom resolution offers an unparalleled advantage in discerning electric dipoles at the unit cell scale. This capability is pivotal in elucidating local domain configurations and domain wall structures inherent to ferro-electric and anti-ferroelectric materials. Concurrently, in-situ transmission electron microscopy provides a window into the dynamic evolution of these structures, facilitating a deeper comprehension of working and failure mechanisms, and enabling the direct assessment of nanoscale properties.

In this talk, Dr Liu will share her research on the atomic scale investigation of the domains, domain walls, and heterointerface phenomena in ferro-electric and anti-ferroelectric materials. Additionally, she will discuss the nanoscale behaviours exhibited by relaxor ferro-electrics when subjected to external stimuli.