Related papers: Quantitative correlation between structural (dis-)…
Ferroelectric ordering in liquids is a fundamental question of physics. Here, we show that ferroelectric ordering of the molecules causes formation of recently reported splay nematic liquid-crystalline phase. As shown by dielectric…
Switchable order parameters in ferroic materials are essential for functional electronic devices, yet disruptions of the ordering can take the form of planar boundaries or defects that exhibit distinct properties. Characterizing the…
Ferroelectricity in BaTiO3 was observed nearly eighty years ago, but the mechanism underlying its ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition remains elusive. The order-disorder transition has been recognized as playing a critical role,…
This letter addresses basic questions concerning ferroelectric order in positionally disordered dipolar materials. Three models distinguished by dipole vectors which have one, two or three components are studied by computer simulation.…
We revisit the quantum phase transition from a paraelectric state to a ferroelectric one and in particular the widespread distinction between a longitudinal modes to transverse one. In contrast to transitions at finite temperature, for a…
Material functionality can be strongly determined by structure extending only over nanoscale distances. The pair distribution function presents an opportunity to shift structural studies beyond idealized crystal models and investigate…
While defects are unavoidable in crystals and often detrimental to material performance, they can be a key ingredient for inducing functionalities when tailored. Here, we demonstrate that an A-site-deficient perovskite Y$_{1/3}$TaO$_3$…
Polar skyrmions in ferroelectric superlattices are nanoscale topological polarization textures typically regarded as weakly coupled objects confined to individual layers, with a role secondary to that of the underlying symmetry-breaking…
Transport and magnetic properties along with high resolution valence band photoemission study of disordered double perovskite Sr$_{2}$TiIrO$_{6}$ has been investigated. Insulator to insulator transition along with a magnetic transition…
We report the structure of transient fluctuations in the liquid phase of a two-dimensional system that exhibits several ordered phases with different symmetries. The density-temperature phase diagram of the system studied, composed of…
We present neutron diffraction analysis of BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$ over a wide temperature (10 to 300 K) and compositional ($0.11 \leq x \leq 0.79$) range, including the normal state, the magnetically ordered state, and the…
The ability to control the structure of a crystalline solid on ultrafast timescales bears enormous potential for information storage and manipulation or generating new functional states of matter [1]. In many materials where the ultrafast…
We observe a structural phase transition between two configurations of a superradiant crystal by coupling a Bose-Einstein condensate to an optical cavity and applying imbalanced transverse pump fields. We find that this first order phase…
Mixed-order phase transitions display a discontinuity in the order parameter like first-order transitions yet feature critical behavior like second-order transitions. Such transitions have been predicted for a broad range of equilibrium and…
The dielectric and magnetic polarizations of quantum paraelectrics and paramagnetic materials have in many cases been found to initially increase with increasing thermal disorder and hence exhibit peaks as a function of temperature. A…
Layers of perovskites, found in 3D materials, 2D heterostructures, and nanotubes, often distort from high symmetry to facilitate dipole polarisation that is exploitable in many applications. Using density-functional theory calculations,…
Perovskite-like oxides $AB'_{1/2}B''_{1/2}$O$_3$ may experience different ordering degrees of $B$-cations, that can be varied by suitable synthesis conditions or post-synthesis treatment. In this work the earlier proposed statistical model…
The structural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of lead-free (Na0.5-xKxBi0.5-xLax)TiO3 powders synthesized by sol-gel self-combustion method were investigated. Rietveld refinement of Synchrotron x-ray diffraction data confirms pure…
We report investigation of structural phase transitions in technologically important material sodium niobate as a function of temperature on heating over 300-1075 K. Our high resolution powder neutron diffraction data show variety of…
Many phenomena in condensed matter are thought to result from competition between different ordered phases. Palladium is a paramagnetic metal close to both ferromagnetism and superconductivity, and is therefore a potentially interesting…