Ferroelectrics as smart mechanical materials

Author (s): Cordero-Edwards, K.; Domingo, N.; Abdollahi, A.; Sort, J. and Catalan, G.
Journal: Advanced Materials

Volume: 29
Pages: 1 – 6
Date: 2017

Abstract:
The mechanical properties of materials are insensitive to space inversion, even when they are crystallographically asymmetric. In practice, this means that turning a piezoelectric crystal upside down or switching the polarization of a ferroelectric should not change its mechanical response. Strain gradients, however, introduce an additional source of asymmetry that has mechanical consequences. Using nanoindentation and contact-resonance force microscopy, this study demonstrates that the mechanical response to indentation of a uniaxial ferroelectric (LiNbO3) does change when its polarity is switched, and use this mechanical asymmetry both to quantify its flexoelectricity and to mechanically read the sign of its ferroelectric domains.

  
  

Bibtex:

@article {2017-ADM-CDASC,
author = {Cordero-Edwards, Kumara and Domingo, Neus and Abdollahi, Amir and Sort, Jordi and Catalan, Gustau},
title = {Ferroelectrics as Smart Mechanical Materials},
journal = {Advanced Materials},
volume = {29},
number = {37},
issn = {1521-4095},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201702210},
doi = {10.1002/adma.201702210},
pages = {1702210--n/a},
keywords = {ferroelectricity, ferroelectric memories, flexoelectricity, mechanical properties, mechanical reading polarity},
year = {2017},
note = {1702210},
}