Related papers: Compositional Inversion Symmetry Breaking in Ferro…
We have fabricated PbTiO$_{3}$/SrRuO$_{3}$ superlattices with ultra-thin SrRuO$_{3}$ layers. Due to the superlattice geometry, the samples show a large anisotropy in their electrical resistivity, which can be controlled by changing the…
The central goal of crystal engineering is to develop precise control over material function \emph{via} rational design of structure. A particularly successful realisation of this paradigm is the example of hybrid improper ferroelectricity…
Using first-principles methods, we predict the energy landscape and ferroelectric states of double perovskites of the form AA$'$BB$'$O$_6$ in which the atoms on both the A and B sites are arranged in rock-salt order. While we are not aware…
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,…
PbTiO3 has the highest tetragonal distortion (c/a=1.064) and highest spontaneous polarization among perovskite titanates. But, it is hazardous and hence one needs to reduce Pb content by substituting or reducing Pb content for use in…
The oxide heterostructure [(YFeO$_3$)$_5$(LaFeO$_3$)$_5$]$_{40}$, which is magnetically ordered and piezoelectric at room temperature, has been constructed from two weak ferromagnetic AFeO$_3$ perovskites with different A cations using…
Heterostructured material systems devoid of ferroic components are presumed not to display ordering associated with ferroelectricity. In heterostructures composed of transition metal oxides, however, the disruption introduced by an…
Ferroelectricity in perovskites is known to be suppressed by a moderate hydrostatic pressure. The notion that a polar instability should reappear in a higher pressure regime is well accepted theoretically but experiments have failed so far…
Using first-principles calculations, we predict that tunable ferroelectricity can be realized in oxide perovskites with the Grenier structure and ordered oxygen vacancies. Specifically, we show that $R_{1/3}A_{2/3}\mathrm{FeO}_{2.67}$…
Excellent conversion efficiencies of over 20 % and facile cell production have placed hybrid perovskites at the forefront of novel solar cell materials with CH3NH3PbI3 being its archetypal compound. The question why CH3NH3PbI3 has such…
We show how crystalline inversion symmetry can be dynamically broken by optical phonons with generic, hardening Kerr-like non-linearities. The symmetry-broken state is reached through a parametric instability that can be accessed by driving…
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$_3$…
Dabconium hybrid perovskites include a number of recently-discovered ferroelectric phases with large spontaneous polarisations. The origin of ferroelectric response has been rationalised in general terms in the context of hydrogen bonding,…
Doubling the perovskite cell (double perovskite) has been found to open new possibilities for engineering functional materials, magnetic materials in particular. This route should be applicable to the antiperovskite (aPV) class. In the…
Halide perovskites have emerged as promising materials for next-generation photovoltaics, laser sources and X-ray detectors. There is intense debate as to whether some photoactive halide perovskites exhibit ferroelectric behaviour and…
The emergence of altermagnets establishes a new paradigm for multiferroics. Unlike conventional multiferroics relying on direct magnetoelectric coupling, multiferroic altermagnets host a crystal-symmetry-mediated magnetoelectric interaction…
Complex polar structures of incommensurate modulations (ICMs) are revealed in chemically modified PbZrO$_3$ perovskite antiferroelectrics using advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques. The Pb-cation displacements, previously…
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…
We study the antiferrodistortive instability and its interaction with ferroelectricity in cubic perovskite compounds. Our first-principles calculations show that coexistence of both instabilities is very common. We develop a…
We use a combination of symmetry arguments and first-principles calculations to explore the connection between structural distortions and ferroelectricity in the perovskite family of materials. We explain the role of octahedral rotations in…