Massive symmetry breaking in ferroelectrics as evidenced by long range axial strain fields within an embedded grain of a BaTiO3 polycrystal (Simons et al., Nat. Mater. 17, 814 (2018))
Ferroelectrics play an essential role in many high-tech products such as capacitors in mobile phones. The need for smaller and more efficient devices requires that the materials be designed with tailored functionality. This is hampered by a complex and often devastating effect from material defects on many length scales. With X-ray microscopy, we can zoom in on these materials and see defects directly, cf. the figure. This opens the door to use defective configurations as a design element instead of being an obstacle. This theme is funded i.a. via an ERC Starting grant and a Villum Foundation grant.
For more information find contact info for PI's:
- Hugh Simons, DTU
- Henning Friis Poulsen, DTU