Nagoya-led Team Flips the Switch on Ferroelectrics
August 29, 2017 | Nagoya UniversityEstimated reading time: 1 minute
![](https://iconnect007.com/application/files/5116/3123/7893/ferroelectrics.jpg)
Many next-generation electronic and electro-mechanical device technologies hinge on the development of ferroelectric materials. The unusual crystal structures of these materials have regions in their lattice, or domains, that behave like molecular switches. The alignment of a domain can be toggled by an electric field, which changes the position of atoms in the crystal and switches the polarization direction. These crystals are typically grown on supporting substrates that help to define and organize the behavior of domains. Control over the switching of domains when making crystals of ferroelectric materials is essential for any future applications.
Now an international team by Nagoya University has developed a new way of controlling the domain structure of ferroelectric materials, which could accelerate development of future electronic and electro-mechanical devices.
"We grew lead zirconate titanate films on different substrate types to induce different kinds of physical strain, and then selectively etched parts of the films to create nanorods," says lead author Tomoaki Yamada. "The domain structure of the nanorods was almost completely flipped compared with [that of] the thin film."
Lead zirconate titanate is a common type of ferroelectric material, which switches based on the movement of trapped lead atoms between two stable positions in the crystal lattice. Parts of the film were deliberately removed to leave freestanding rods on the substrates. The team then used synchrotron X-ray radiation to probe the domain structure of individual rods.
The contact area of the rods with the substrate was greatly reduced and the domain properties were influenced more by the surrounding environment, which mixed up the domain structure. The team found that coating the rods with a metal could screen the effects of the air and they tended to recover the original domain structure, as determined by the substrate.
"There are few effective ways of manipulating the domain structure of ferroelectric materials, and this becomes more difficult when the material is nanostructured and the contact area with the substrate is small." says collaborator Nava Setter. "We have learned that it's possible to nanostructure these materials with control over their domains, which is an essential step towards the new functional nanoscale devices promised by these materials."
Suggested Items
Rogers Announces Further Actions to Streamline Operations and Drive Margin Improvement
06/07/2024 | Rogers CorporationRogers Corporation announced plans to drive further operational efficiency and margin improvement. Rogers intends to wind down manufacturing of advanced circuit materials and other related activities at its Evergem, Belgium factory by mid-2025.
The Pulse: Overconstraining: Short, Slim, and Smooth
06/06/2024 | Martyn Gaudion -- Column: The PulseEngineering is both an art and a science. The design engineer’s task is (almost) always to bring product to market that meets specifications at the best and most economical price suited to the appropriate end use requirements. From a PCB perspective, designers are faced with a bewildering and almost overwhelming choice of materials at their disposal.
Overconstrain? Underconstrain? Selecting Materials for High-speed Designs
06/06/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineWhen selecting materials for a high-speed design, you need to be very familiar with the materials’ electrical characteristics, as well as the requirements of the PCB you’re designing. There are myriad details that need to be considered during the material selection process, and missing one iota can lead to your job being put on hold. We asked Stephen Chavez, principal technical product marketing manager at Siemens, to share his thoughts on material selection for high-speed designs. Steph discusses material constraints, stackups, and the cut-off point when a “traditional” laminate will (and won’t) work for a high-speed board.
DuPont’s Randal King Joins Purdue University’s Semiconductor Degrees Leadership Board
06/06/2024 | DuPontDuPont announced that Randal King, PhD, Vice President of R&D/Technology, DuPont Electronics & Industrial, has been named to Purdue University’s Semiconductor Degrees Leadership Board.
IPC Releases Newest List of Standards Updates, Revisions
06/03/2024 | IPCEach quarter, IPC releases a list of standards that are new or have been updated. To view a complete list of newly published standards and standards revisions, translations, proposed standards for ballot, final drafts for industry review, working drafts, and project approvals, visit ipc.org/status. These are the latest releases for Q2.