Formation and rapid evolution of domain structure at phase transitions in slightly inhomogeneous ferroelectrics

A. M. Bratkovsky; A. P. Levanyuk

doi:10.1063/1.1499574

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Formation and rapid evolution of domain structure at phase transitions in slightly inhomogeneous ferroelectrics

A. M. Bratkovsky·A. P. Levanyuk

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Abstract

We present the first analytical study of stability loss and evolution of domain structure in inhomogeneous ferroelectric samples for exactly solvable model. The model assumes a short-circuited capacitor with two regions with slightly different critical temperatures Tc1 > Tc2, where Tc1-Tc2 << Tc1, Tc2. Even a tiny inhomogeneity like 10-5 K may result in splitting the system into domains below the phase transition temperature. At T < Tc2 the domain width $a$ is proportional to (Tc1 - T)/(Tc1 - Tc2) and quickly increases with lowering temperature. The minute inhomogeneities in Tc may result from structural (growth) inhomogeneities which are always present in real samples and a similar role can be played by inevitable temperature gradients.

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A. M. Bratkovsky, A. P. Levanyuk. 2002-06-06. Formation and rapid evolution of domain structure at phase transitions in slightly inhomogeneous ferroelectrics. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1499574

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