Vortex-to-Polarization Phase Transformation Path in Pb(ZrTi)O${}_3$ Nanoparticles

Abstract

Phase transformation in finite-size ferroelectrics is of fundamental relevance for understanding collective behaviors and balance of competing interactions in low-dimensional systems. We report a first-principles effective Hamiltonian study of vortex-to-polarization transformation in Pb(Zr${}_{0.5}$Ti${}_{0.5}$)O${}_3$ nanoparticles, caused by homogeneous electric fields normal to the vortex plane. The transformation is shown to (1) follow an unusual {\it macroscopic} path that is symmetry non-conforming and characterized by the occurrence of a previously unknown structure as the bridging phase; (2) lead to the discovery of a striking collective phenomenon, revealing how ferroelectric vortex is annihilated {\it microscopically}. Interactions underlying these behaviors are discussed.

References in corpus (2)

• Vortex formation in a stirred Bose-Einstein condensate
• Finite-temperature properties of PZT alloys from first principles

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