Hysteresis loop analysis via piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is typically performed to probe the existence of ferroelectricity at the nanoscale. However, such an approach is rather complex in accurately determining the pure contribution of ferroelectricity to the PFM. Here, we suggest a facile method to discriminate the ferroelectric effect from the electromechanical (EM) response through ...

Because the usual methods for establishing ferroelectricity in crystals are not possible for crystals with high conductivities, other ways must be introduced based on other ferroelectric prop&rties. ~nalysisof the crystal structure can provide a model showing the possibility of reversible polarisation, but more convincing evidence can come from the study of the dynamics of the crystal. Neutron ...

Three kinds of near-field microscopy imaging mode including SEAM (Scanning electron acoustic microscopy), PFM (Piezoresponse force microscopy) and SPAM (Scanning probe acoustic microscopy) have been developed to investigate domain structures of ferroelectric ceramics, crystals and thin films in our studies. The domain imaging mechanisms are presented individually in three imaging modes. Sub-sur...

Multiferroics, materials where spontaneous long-range magnetic and dipolar orders coexist, represent an attractive class of compounds, which combine rich and fascinating fundamental physics with a technologically appealing potential for applications in the general area of spintronics. Ab initio calculations have significantly contributed to recent progress in this area, by elucidating different...

The ferroelectric (Sm C*)-antiferroelectric (Sm C*A)-reentrant ferroelectric (re Sm C*) phase temperature sequence was observed for systems with competing synclinic-anticlinic interactions. The basic properties of this system are as follows: (i) the Sm C* phase is metastable in the temperature range of the Sm C*A; (ii) the helix handedness inverts at both Sm C*-Sm C*A and Sm C*A-re-Sm C* phase ...

One of the core issues for multiferroicity is the strongly coupled ferroelectric polarization and magnetization, while so far most multiferroics have antiferromagnetic order with nearly zero magnetization. Magnetic spinel compounds with ferrimagnetic order may be alternative candidates offering large magnetization when ferroelectricity can be activated simultaneously. In this work, we investiga...

Perovskite-type manganites, such as Pr1-xCaxMnO3, La1-xCaxMnO3 and La1-xSrxMnO3 solid solutions, are set forth as a case study of ferroelectricity formation mechanisms associated with the appearance of site- and bond-centered orbital ordering which breaks structural inversion symmetry. Even though the observation of macroscopic ferroelectricity may be hindered by the finite conductivity of mang...

We report here realization of ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism and magnetocapacitance effect in singleSrFe12O19ceramic at room temperature. The ceramics demonstrate a saturated polarization hysteresis loop, two nonlinear I-V peaks and large anomaly of dielectric constant near Curie temperature, which confirm the intrinsic ferroelectricity of SrFe12O19 ceramicswith subsequent heat-treatment in O...