Liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite material for dental application.

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Yun-Yuan; Hsu, Sheng-Hao; Chen, Rung-Shu; Su, Wei-Fang; Chen, Min-Huey

2015-01-01

Novel liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposites, which exhibit reduced polymerization shrinkage and effectively bond to tooth structures, can be applied in esthetic dentistry, including core and post systems, direct and indirect restorations, and dental brackets. The purposes of this study were to investigate the properties of liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposites including biocompatibility, microhardness, and frictional forces of bracket-like blocks with different filler contents for further clinical applications. In this study, we evaluated liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite materials that exhibited various filler contents, by assessing their cell activity performance using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and their microhardness with or without thermocycling. We also evaluated the frictional force between bracket-like duplicates and commercially available esthetic bracket systems using Instron 5566. The liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite materials showed good biocompatibility. The materials having high filler content demonstrated greater microhardness compared with commercially available bracket materials, before and after the thermocycling treatment. Thus, manufacturing processes are important to reduce frictional force experienced by orthodontic brackets. The microhardness of the bracket-like blocks made by our new material is superior to the commercially available brackets, even after thermocycling. Our results indicate that the evaluated liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite materials are of an appropriate quality for application in dental core and post systems and in various restorations. By applying technology to refine manufacturing processes, these new materials could also be used to fabricate esthetic brackets for orthodontic treatment. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Enhancement of the saturation mobility in a ferroelectric-gated field-effect transistor by the surface planarization of ferroelectric film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Woo Young, E-mail: semigumi@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 373-1, Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Gwang-Jae; Kang, In-Ku; Shim, Hyun Bin; Lee, Hee Chul [Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 373-1, Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-30

Ferroelectricity refers to the property of a dielectric material to undergo spontaneous polarization which originates from the crystalline phase. Hence, ferroelectric materials have a certain degree of surface roughness when they are formed as a thin film. A high degree of surface roughness may cause unintended phenomena when the ferroelectric material is used in electronic devices. Specifically, the quality of subsequently deposited film could be affected by the rough surface. The present study reports that the surface roughness of ferroelectric polymer film can be reduced by a double-spin-coating method of a solution, with control of the solubility of the solution. At an identical thickness of 350 nm, double-spin-coated ferroelectric film has a root-mean-square roughness of only 3 nm, while for single-spin-coated ferroelectric film this value is approximately 16 nm. A ferroelectric-gated field-effect transistor was fabricated using the proposed double-spin-coating method, showing a maximum saturation mobility as much as seven-fold than that of a transistor fabricated with single-spin-coated ferroelectric film. The enhanced saturation mobility could be explained by the Poole–Frenkel conduction mechanism. The proposed method to reduce the surface roughness of ferroelectric film would be useful for high performance organic electronic devices, including crystalline-phase dielectric film. - Highlights: • Single and double-layer solution-processed polymer ferroelectric films were obtained. • Adjusting the solvent solubility allows making double-layer ferroelectric (DF) films. • The DF film has a smoother surface than single-layer ferroelectric (SF) film. • DF-gated transistor has faster saturation mobility than SF-based transistor. • Solvent solubility adjustment led to higher performance organic devices.

Ferrofluids in liquid crystalline systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figueiredo Neto, A.M.; Liebert, L.

1989-08-01

It is a well-known fact that intermediate or mesomorphic phase may exist between the crystalline and the isotropic liquid phases. The symmetry properties of these mesophases are intermediate between those of a crystal and a liquid. In this paper, some aspects of the use of ferrofluids in thermotropic and lyotropic systems are studied both the experimental difficulties as well as the fundamental phypical phenomena involved. (A.C.A.S.) [pt

Liquid crystallinity driven highly aligned large graphene oxide composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyung Eun; Oh, Jung Jae; Yun, Taeyeong [Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Ouk, E-mail: sangouk.kim@kaist.ac.kr [Center for Nanomaterials and Chemical Reactions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-15

Graphene is an emerging graphitic carbon materials, consisting of sp{sup 2} hybridized two dimensinal honeycomb structure. It has been widely studied to incorporate graphene with polymer to utilize unique property of graphene and reinforce electrical, mechanical and thermal property of polymer. In composite materials, orientation control of graphene significantly influences the property of composite. Until now, a few method has been developed for orientation control of graphene within polymer matrix. Here, we demonstrate facile fabrication of high aligned large graphene oxide (LGO) composites in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix exploiting liquid crystallinity. Liquid crystalline aqueous dispersion of LGO is parallel oriented within flat confinement geometry. Freeze-drying of the aligned LGO dispersion and subsequent infiltration with PDMS produce highly aligned LGO/PDMS composites. Owing to the large shape anisotropy of LGO, liquid crystalline alignment occurred at low concentration of 2 mg/ml in aqueous dispersion, which leads to the 0.2 wt% LGO loaded composites. - Graphical abstract: Liquid crystalline LGO aqueous dispersions are spontaneous parallel aligned between geometric confinement for highly aligned LGO/polymer composite fabrication. - Highlights: • A simple fabrication method for highly aligned LGO/PDMS composites is proposed. • LGO aqueous dispersion shows nematic liquid crystalline phase at 0.8 mg/ml. • In nematic phase, LGO flakes are highly aligned by geometric confinement. • Infiltration of PDMS into freeze-dried LGO allows highly aligned LGO/PDMS composites.

The effect of rotational viscosity on the memory effect in ferroelectric liquid crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaur, S.; Thakur, A.K.; Chauhan, R.; Bawa, S.S.; Biradar, A.M.

2004-01-01

Memory effect in deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHFLC) is not a new phenomenon. Although it was reported 12 years ago yet its exact physical behavior is not explained. It has been thought by various researchers all over the world that it might be a transient memory effect. In the present study, it has been observed and predicted that memory effect is of long duration and shows remarkable dependencies on the voltage and frequency of the driving electrical pulse, which is entirely different from the memory effect in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC). The memory effect in SSFLC is primarily due to surface effect but in DHFLC, its ultra-short pitch plays a dominant role. So, it has been observed that the memory effect in DHFLC is due to its high viscosity and inter/intra layer dipolar interactions

Autophobicity and layering behavior of thin liquid-crystalline polymer films.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wielen, van der M.W.J.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Fleer, G.J.

1998-01-01

The stability against breaking-up of thin spin-coated films of liquid-crystalline polymers depends on the film thickness and annealing temperature. This study concerns side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers, based on alternating copolymers of maleic anhydride and mesogenic alkenes. The mesogenic

21 CFR 524.2620 - Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor oil.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor... NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 524.2620 Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor oil. (a)(1) Specifications... delivered to the wound site contains 0.12 milligram of crystalline trypsin, 87.0 milligrams of Peru balsam...

Excimer fluorescence of liquid crystalline systems

Science.gov (United States)

Sakhno, Tamara V.; Khakhel, Oleg A.; Barashkov, Nikolay N.; Korotkova, Irina V.

1996-04-01

The method of synchronous scanning fluorescence spectroscopy shows a presence of dimers of pyrene in a polymeric matrix. The results suggest that excimer formation takes place with dimers in liquid crystalline systems.

Liquid crystalline thermosetting polymers as protective coatings for aerospace

OpenAIRE

Guerriero, G.L.

2012-01-01

Environmental regulations are driving the development of new aerospace coating systems, mainly to eliminate chromates and reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Among the various potential options for new coating materials, liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) are attractive due to their unique combination of mechanical properties and chemical resistance. Their use, however, has been limited mainly due to poor adhesion properties. Thermotropic liquid crystalline thermosets displayed ...

Blending crystalline/liquid crystalline small molecule semiconductors: A strategy towards high performance organic thin film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chao; He, Yaowu; Li, Aiyuan; Zhang, Dongwei; Meng, Hong

2016-10-01

Solution processed small molecule polycrystalline thin films often suffer from the problems of inhomogeneity and discontinuity. Here, we describe a strategy to solve these problems through deposition of the active layer from a blended solution of crystalline (2-phenyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene, Ph-BTBT) and liquid crystalline (2-(4-dodecylphenyl) [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene, C12-Ph-BTBT) small molecule semiconductors with the hot spin-coating method. Organic thin film transistors with average hole mobility approaching 1 cm2/V s, much higher than that of single component devices, have been demonstrated, mainly due to the improved uniformity, continuity, crystallinity, and stronger intermolecular π-π stacking in blend thin films. Our results indicate that the crystalline/liquid crystalline semiconductor blend method is an effective way to enhance the performance of organic transistors.

Liquid-Crystalline Ionic Liquids as Ordered Reaction Media for the Diels-Alder Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Duncan W; Gao, Yanan; Canongia Lopes, José Nuno; Shimizu, Karina; Slattery, John M

2016-11-02

Liquid-crystalline ionic liquids (LCILs) are ordered materials that have untapped potential to be used as reaction media for synthetic chemistry. This paper investigates the potential for the ordered structures of LCILs to influence the stereochemical outcome of the Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and methyl acrylate. The ratio of endo- to exo-product from this reaction was monitored for a range of ionic liquids (ILs) and LCILs. Comparison of the endo:exo ratios in these reactions as a function of cation, anion and liquid crystallinity of the reaction media, allowed for the effects of liquid crystallinity to be distinguished from anion effects or cation alkyl chain length effects. These data strongly suggest that the proportion of exo-product increases as the reaction media is changed from an isotropic IL to a LCIL. A detailed molecular dynamics (MD) study suggests that this effect is related to different hydrogen bonding interactions between the reaction media and the exo- and endo-transition states in solvents with layered, smectic ordering compared to those that are isotropic. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Old and new ideas in ferroelectric liquid crystal technology

Science.gov (United States)

Lagerwall, Sven T.; Matuszczyk, M.; Matuszczyk, T.

1998-02-01

Ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLC) are to conventional liquid crystal what Gallium Arsenide is to Silicon in the semiconductor area. The first generation of FLC displays in now present on the market and has some outstanding features based on the symmetric bistability which may be achieved in these materials. One of the greatest challenges for the next generation is to achieve an analog grey scale out of an essentially digital principle. We will analyze in some detail which major problems had to be solved to reach the present state and show how the final steps could be taken toward a new state-of-the-art level in liquid crystal devices. In the last decade university research and industrial R and D have almost equally contributed to treat the very serious complications caused by the so-called chevron structures We will review this important topic in particular detail.

Effect of multilactate chiral part of liquid crystalline molecule on mesomorphic behaviour

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubnov, Alexej M.; Novotná, Vladimíra; Hamplová, Věra; Kašpar, Miroslav; Glogarová, Milada

2008-01-01

Roč. 892, 1-3 (2008), 151-157 ISSN 0022-2860 R&D Projects: GA MŠk OC 175; GA AV ČR IAA100100710 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : lactic acid derivative * liquid crystal * ferroelectric liquid crystal * antiferroelectric phase * hexatic phase * keto group * lactate group Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.594, year: 2008

Molecular reorientations in a substance with liquid-crystalline and plastic-crystalline phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Xuan Phuc.

1986-05-01

Results of dielectric relaxation (DR), quasielastic neutron scattering (QNS), far infrared absorption (FIR), proton magnetic resonance (PMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and preliminary X-ray diffraction measurements on the di-n-pentyloxyazoxybenzene (5.OAOB) are presented. The measurements carried out by all these methods showed that 5.OAOB exhibits a nontypical for liquid-crystalline materials phase diagram. It has two mesophases: a nematic (N) and an ''intermediate'' crystalline phase just below it. A complex interpretation of results obtained is given. All suggestions concerning the character of reorientational motions of the molecule as a whole as well as of its segments in mesomorphic phases are analyzed. From comparison of the DR and QNS studies one can conclude that in the N phase the molecule as a whole performs rotational diffusion around the long axis (τ DR ∼ 100 ps) and at the same time the two moieties perform faster independent reorientations around N - benzene rings bonds withτ QNS ∼ 5 ps. On the basis of various experimental data it is shown that the CrI phase is a plastic-crystalline phase for which the molecule and its segments perform fast stochastic unaxial reorientations. This is the first case where the existence of such a phase in liquid-crystalline materials has been experimentally confirmed. (author)

Nonlinear optics of liquid crystalline materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoo, Iam Choon

2009-01-01

Liquid crystals occupy an important niche in nonlinear optics as a result of their unique physical and optical properties. Besides their broadband birefringence and transparency, abilities to self-assemble into various crystalline phases and to conform to various flexible forms and shapes, liquid crystals are compatible with almost all other optoelectronic materials and technology platforms. In both isotropic and ordered phases, liquid crystals possess extraordinarily large optical nonlinearities that stretch over multiple time scales. To date, almost all conceivable nonlinear optical phenomena have been observed in a very broad spectrum spanning the entire visible to infrared and beyond. In this review, we present a self-contained complete discussion of the optical nonlinearities of liquid crystals, and a thorough review of a wide range of nonlinear optical processes and phenomena enabled by these unique properties. Starting with a brief historical account of the development of nonlinear optical studies of the mesophases of liquid crystals, we then review various liquid crystalline materials and structures, and their nonlinear optical properties. Emphasis is placed on the nematic phase, which best exemplifies the dual nature of liquid crystals, although frequent references to other phases are also made. We also delve into recent work on novel structures such as photonic crystals, metamaterials and nanostructures and their special characteristics and emergent properties. The mechanisms and complex nonlocal dynamics of optical nonlinearities associated with laser induced director axis reorientation, thermal, density, and order parameter fluctuations, space charge field formation and photorefractivity are critically reviewed as a foundation for the discussions of various nonlinear optical processes detailed in this paper

Formulation of electroclinic, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures suitable for display devices

Science.gov (United States)

Debnath, Asim; Goswami, Debarghya; Mandal, Pradip Kumar

2018-04-01

Most of the liquid crystal display (LCD) devices starting from simplest wrist watches or calculators to complex laptops or flat TV sets are based on nematics. Although a tremendous improvement in the quality of display as well as reduction of manufacturing cost has taken place over the years, there are many issues which the LC industry is trying hard to address. Ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLC) are of current interest in the LCD industry since among various other advantages FLC based displays have micro-second order switching compared to milli-second order switching in nematic based displays. To meet the market demand much effort has been made to optimize the physical parameters of FLCs, such as temperature range, spontaneous polarization (PS), helical pitch (p), switching time (τ), tilt angle (θ) and rotational viscosity (γ). Multicomponent mixtures are, therefore, formulated to optimize all the required properties for practical applications since no single FLC compound can satisfy the above requirements. To the best of our knowledge electroclinic, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures have been formulated first time by any Indian group which have properties suitable for FLC based display devices and at par with mixtures used in the industry.

Liquid Crystalline Semiconductors Materials, properties and applications

CERN Document Server

Kelly, Stephen; O'Neill, Mary

2013-01-01

This is an exciting stage in the development of organic electronics. It is no longer an area of purely academic interest as increasingly real applications are being developed, some of which are beginning to come on-stream. Areas that have already been commercially developed or which are under intensive development include organic light emitting diodes (for flat panel displays and solid state lighting), organic photovoltaic cells, organic thin film transistors (for smart tags and flat panel displays) and sensors. Within the family of organic electronic materials, liquid crystals are relative newcomers. The first electronically conducting liquid crystals were reported in 1988 but already a substantial literature has developed. The advantage of liquid crystalline semiconductors is that they have the easy processability of amorphous and polymeric semiconductors but they usually have higher charge carrier mobilities. Their mobilities do not reach the levels seen in crystalline organics but they circumvent all of t...

Phosphoric acids as amplifiers of molecular chirality in liquid crystalline media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eelkema, R; Feringa, BL

2006-01-01

A new system for the double amplification of the molecular chirality of simple chiral amines in achiral liquid crystalline media is described. It involves a conformationally flexible phosphoric acid based receptor that by binding to chiral amines induces chirality in the liquid crystalline matrix.

Liquid Crystalline Perylene diimides : Architecture and Charge Carrier Mobilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Struijk, C.W.; Sieval, A.B.; Dakhorst, J.E.J.; Dijk, van M.; Kimkes, P.; Koehorst, R.B.M.; Donker, H.

2000-01-01

The phase behavior of three N-alkyl-substituted perylene diimide derivatives is examined by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. The occurrence of multiple phase transitions indicates several crystalline and several liquid crystalline phases. X-ray diffraction

Flexible, ferroelectric nanoparticle doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices for lower switching voltage and nanoenergy generation

Science.gov (United States)

Nimmy John, V.; Varanakkottu, Subramanyan Namboodiri; Varghese, Soney

2018-06-01

Flexible polymer dispersed liquid crystal (F-PDLC) devices were fabricated using transparent conducting ITO/PET film. Polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) method was used for pure and ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) and ZnO doped PDLC devices. The distribution of nanoparticles in the PDLC and the formation of micro cavities were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). It was observed that the addition of ferroelectric BTO nanoparticles has reduced the threshold voltage (Vth) and saturation voltage (Vsat) of FNP-PDLC by 85% and 41% respectively due to the spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric nanoparticles. The ferroelectric properties of BTO and ZnO in the fabricated devices were investigated using dynamic contact electrostatic force microscopy (DC EFM). Flexing the device can generate a potential due to the piezo-tribo electric effect of the ferroelectric nanomaterial doped in the PDLC matrix, which could be utilized as an energy generating system. The switching voltage after multiple flexing was also studied and found to be in par with non-flexing situations.

Longitudinal and transverse pyroelectric effects in a chiral ferroelectric liquid crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yablonskii, S. V., E-mail: yablonskii2005@yandex.ru; Bondarchuk, V. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation); Soto-Bustamante, E. A.; Romero-Hasler, P. N. [Universidad de Chile (Chile); Ozaki, M. [Osaka University, Department of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering (Japan); Yoshino, K. [Shimane Institute for Industrial Technology (Japan)

2015-04-15

In this study, we compare the results of experimental investigations of longitudinal and transverse pyroelectric effects in a chiral ferroelectric crystal. In a transverse geometry, we studied freely suspended liquid-crystal films. In both geometries, samples exhibited bistability, demonstrating stable pyroelectric signals of different polarities at zero voltage. It is shown that a bistable cell based on a freely suspended film requires 40 times less energy expenditures as compared to the conventional sandwich-type cell.

Liquid crystalline solutions of cellulose in phosphoric acid for preparing cellulose yarns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerstoel, H.

2006-01-01

The presen thesis describes a new process for manufacturing high tenacity and high modulus cellulose yarns. A new direct solvent for cellulose has been discovered, leading to liquid crystalline solutions. This new solvent, superphosphoric acid, rapidly dissolves cellulose. These liquid crystalline

Liquid crystalline biopolymers: A new arena for liquid crystal research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizvi, Tasneem Zahra

2001-07-01

This paper gives a brief introduction to liquid crystals on the basis of biopolymers and reviews literature on liquid crystalline behaviour of biopolymers both in vitro and in vivo in relation to their implications in the fields of biology, medicine and material science. Knowledge in the field of biological liquid crystals is crucial for understanding complex phenomena at supramolecular level which will give information about processes involved in biological organization and function. The understanding of the interaction of theses crystals with electric, magnetic, optical and thermal fields will uncover mechanisms of near quantum-energy detection capabilities of biosystems

Liquid crystalline order of carbon nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Georgi; Ahlawat, Aditya; Mulkern, Brian; Doyle, Robert; Mongeau, Jennifer; Ogilvie, Alex

2007-03-01

Topological defects formed during phase transitions in liquid crystals provide a direct proof of the standard Cosmological model and are direct links to the Early Universe. On the other hand in Nanotechnology, carbon nanotubes can be manipulated and oriented directly by changing the liquid crystalline state of the nanotubes, in combination with organic liquid crystals. Currently there are no nano-assemblers, which makes the liquid crystal state of the nanotubes, one of the few ways of controlling them. We show the design of a fast and efficient polarized light ellipsometric system (a new modification of previous optical systems) that can provide fast quantitative real time measurements in two dimensions of the formation of topological defects in liquid crystals during phase transitions in lab settings. Our aim is to provide fundamental information about the formation of optically anisotropic structures in liquid crystals and the orientation of carbon nanotubes in electric field.

Ferroelectric devices using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Paik, Young Hun; Kojori, Hossein Shokri; Kim, Sung Jin

2016-02-19

We successfully demonstrate the synthesis of lead zirconate titanate nanoparticles (PZT NPs) and a ferroelectric device using the synthesized PZT NPs. The crystalline structure and the size of the nanocrystals are studied using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. We observe PZT NPs and this result matches dynamic light scattering measurements. A solution-based low-temperature process is used to fabricate PZT NP-based devices on an indium tin oxide substrate. The fabricated ferroelectric devices are characterized using various optical and electrical measurements and we verify ferroelectric properties including ferroelectric hysteresis and the ferroelectric photovoltaic effect. Our approach enables low-temperature solution-based processes that could be used for various applications. To the best of our knowledge, this low-temperature solution processed ferroelectric device using PZT NPs is the first successful demonstration of its kind.

Structure-Function Relationships of Ferroelectric Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlopoulou, Eleni; Maiz, Jon; Spampinato, Nicoletta; Maglione, Mario; Hadziioannou, Georges

Poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and its copolymers with trifluoroethylene, P(VDF-co-TrFE) have been long appreciated for their excellent ferroelectric properties. Although they have been mainly studied in the 80s and 90s, understanding their performance is still lacking. Yet the increasing use of P(VDF-co-TrFE) thin films in organic electronic devices during the last ten years revives the need for apprehending the function of these materials. In this work we investigate the structure of P(VDF-co-TrFE) films and correlate it to their ferroelectric properties. Our results show that ferroelectric performance is solely driven by the fraction of polymer that has been crystallized in the ferroelectric phases of PVDF. The relations between remnant polarization, coercive field and dipole switching rate of P(VDF-co-TrFE) with the ferroelectric crystallinity are demonstrated. The French Research Agency (ANR), the Aquitaine Region, Arkema and STMicroelectronics are kindly acknowledged for financial support.

Dicyanamide Salts that Adopt Smectic, Columnar, or Bicontinuous Cubic Liquid-Crystalline Mesophases.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Geonhui; Goossens, Karel; Shin, Tae Joo; Bielawski, Christopher W

2018-04-25

Although dicyanamide (i.e., [N(CN) 2 ] - ) has been commonly used to obtain low-viscosity, halogen-free, room-temperature ionic liquids, liquid-crystalline salts containing such anions have remained virtually unexplored. Here we report a series of amphiphilic dicyanamide salts that, depending on their structures and compositions, adopt smectic, columnar, or bicontinuous cubic thermotropic liquid-crystalline mesophases, even at room temperature in some cases. Their thermal properties were explored by polarized light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (including evolved gas analysis), and variable-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Comparison of the thermal phase characteristics of these new liquid-crystalline salts featuring "V-shaped" [N(CN) 2 ] - anions with those of structural analogues containing [SCN] - , [BF 4 ] - , [PF 6 ] - , or [CF 3 SO 3 ] - anions indicated that not only the size of the counterion but also its shape should be considered in the development of mesomorphic salts. Collectively, these discoveries may be expected to facilitate the design of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals that form inverted-type bicontinuous cubic and other sophisticated liquid-crystalline phases. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cross-Linked Liquid Crystalline Systems From Rigid Polymer Networks to Elastomers

CERN Document Server

Broer, Dirk

2011-01-01

With rapidly expanding interest in liquid crystalline polymers and elastomers among the liquid crystal community, researchers are currently exploring the wide range of possible application areas for these unique materials, including optical elements on displays, tunable lasers, strain gauges, micro-structures, and artificial muscles. Written by respected scientists from academia and industry around the world, who are not only active in the field but also well-known in more traditional areas of research, "Cross-Linked Liquid Crystalline Systems: From Rigid Polymer Networks to Elastomers&qu

Submicrosecond electro-optic switching in the liquid-crystal smectic A phase: The soft-mode ferroelectric effect

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, G.; Dahl, I.; Keller, P.; Kuczyński, W.; Lagerwall, S. T.; Skarp, K.; Stebler, B.

1987-08-01

A new liquid-crystal electro-optic modulating device similar to the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid-crystal device is described. It uses the same kind of ferroelectric chiral smectics and the same geometry as that device (thin sample in the ``bookshelf '' layer arrangement) but instead of using a tilted smectic phase like the C* phase, it utilizes the above-lying, nonferroelectric A phase, taking advantage of the electroclinic effect. The achievable optical intensity modulation that can be detected through the full range of the A phase is considerably lower than for the surface-stabilized device, but the response is much faster. Furthermore, the response is strictly linear with respect to the applied electric field. The device concept is thus appropriate for modulator rather than for display applications. We describe the underlying physics and present measurements of induced tilt angle, of light modulation depth, and of rise time.

Liquid Crystalline Thermosets from Ester, Ester-imide, and Ester-amide Oligomers

Science.gov (United States)

Dingemans, Theodorus J. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); St. Clair, Terry L. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Main chain thermotropic liquid crystal esters, ester-imides, and ester-amides were prepared from AA, BB, and AB type monomeric materials and end-capped with phenylacetylene, phenylmaleimide, or nadimide reactive end-groups. The end-capped liquid crystal oligomers are thermotropic and have, preferably, molecular weights in the range of approximately 1000-15,000 grams per mole. The end-capped liquid crystaloligomers have broad liquid crystalline melting ranges and exhibit high melt stability and very low melt viscosities at accessible temperatures. The end-capped liquid crystal oli-gomers are stable forup to an hour in the melt phase. They are highly processable by a variety of melt process shape forming and blending techniques. Once processed and shaped, the end-capped liquid crystal oigomers were heated to further polymerize and form liquid crystalline thermosets (LCT). The fully cured products are rubbers above their glass transition temperatures.

Phase behaviour of macromolecular liquid crystalline materials. Computational studies at the molecular level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stimson, Lorna M.

2003-01-01

Molecular simulations provide an increasingly useful insight into the static and dynamic characteristics of materials. In this thesis molecular simulations of macro-molecular liquid crystalline materials are reported. The first liquid crystalline material that has been investigated is a side chain liquid crystal polymer (SCLCP). In this study semi-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have been conducted at a range of temperatures and an aligning potential has been applied to mimic the effect of a magnetic field. In cooling the SCLCP from an isotropic melt, microphase separation was observed yielding a domain structure. The application of a magnetic field to this structure aligns the domains producing a stable smectic mesophase. This is the first study in which mesophases have been observed using an off-lattice model of a SCLCP. The second material that has been investigated is a dendrimer with terminal mesogenic functionalization. Here, a multi-scale approach has been taken with Monte Carlo studies of a single dendrimer molecule in the gas phase at the atomistic level, semi-atomistic molecular dynamics of a single molecule in liquid crystalline solvents and a coarse-grained molecular dynamics study of the dendrimer in the bulk. The coarse-grained model has been developed and parameterized using the results of the atomistic and semi-atomistic work. The single molecule studies showed that the liquid crystalline dendrimer was able to change its structure by conformational changes in the flexible chains that link the mesogenic groups to the core. Structural change was seen under the application of a mean field ordering potential in the gas phase, and in the presence of liquid crystalline solvents. No liquid crystalline phases were observed for the bulk phase studies of the coarse-grained model. However, when the length of the mesogenic units was increased there was some evidence for microphase separation in these systems. (author)

A qualitative test for intrinsic size effect on ferroelectric phase transitions

OpenAIRE

Wang, Jin; Tagantsev, Alexander K.; Setter, Nava

2010-01-01

The size effect in ferroelectrics is treated as a competition between the geometrical symmetry of the ferroelectric sample and its crystalline symmetry. The manifestation of this competition is shown to be polarization rotation, which is driven by temperature and/or size variations, thus providing a qualitative indication of intrinsic finite size effect on ferroelectrics. The concept is demonstrated in a simple case of PbTiO3 nanowires having their axis parallel to [111]C direction, where the...

Photo-responsive liquid crystalline epoxy networks with exchangeable disulfide bonds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yuzhan [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Zhang, Yuehong [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Rios, Orlando [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Keum, Jong K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kessler, Michael R. [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND (United States)

2017-07-27

The increasing demand for intelligent materials has driven the development of polymers with a variety of functionalities. However, combining multiple functionalities within one polymer is still challenging because of the difficulties encountered in coordinating different functional building blocks during fabrication. In this work, we demonstrate the fabrication of a multifunctional liquid crystalline epoxy network (LCEN) using the combination of thermotropic liquid crystals, photo-responsive azobenzene molecules, and exchangeable disulfide bonds. In addition to shape memory behavior enabled by the reversible liquid crystalline phase transition and photo-induced bending behavior resulting from the photo-responsive azobenzene molecules, the introduction of dynamic disulfide bonds into the LCEN resulted in a structurally dynamic network, allowing the reshaping, repairing, and recycling of the material.

Polymer and Polymer Gel of Liquid Crystalline Semiconductors

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Teppei Shimakawa; Naoki Yoshimoto; Jun-ichi Hanna

2004-01-01

It prepared a polymer and polymer gel of a liquid crystalline (LC) semiconductor having a 2-phenylnaphthalene moiety and studied their charge carrier transport properties by the time-of-flight technique. It is found that polyacrylate having the mesogenic core moiety of 2-phenylnaphtalene (PNP-acrylate) exhibited a comparable mobility of 10-4cm2/Vs in smectic A phase to those in smectic A (SmA) phase of small molecular liquid crystals with the same core moiety, e.g., 6-(4'-octylphenyl)- 2-dodecyloxynaphthalene (8-PNP-O12), and an enhanced mobility up to 10-3cm2/Vs in the LC-glassy phase at room temperature, when mixed with a small amount of 8-PNP-O12. On the other hand, the polymer gel consisting of 20 wt %-hexamethylenediacrylate (HDA)-based cross-linked polymer and 8-PNP-O12 exhibited no degraded mobility when cross-linked at the mesophase. These results indicate that the polymer and polymer composite of liquid crystalline semiconductors provide us with an easy way to realize a quality organic semiconductor thin film for the immediate device applications.

Thermotropic liquid crystalline polyesters derived from 2-chloro ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

NAGESH MANURKAR

2017-08-24

Aug 24, 2017 ... extremely useful for various applications including fab- rication of numerous ... In another flask, sodium hydroxide (4.4 g, 0.11 mole) was dissolved in 50 ..... relationships of smectic liquid crystalline polyacrylates as revealed by ...

Liquid crystalline fiber optic colorimeter for hydrostatic pressure measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Wolinski, Tomasz R.; Bajdecki, Waldemar K.; Domanski, Andrzej W.; Karpierz, Miroslaw A.; Konopka, Witold; Nasilowski, T.; Sierakowski, Marek W.; Swillo, Marcin; Dabrowski, Roman S.; Nowinowski-Kruszelnicki, Edward; Wasowski, Janusz

2001-08-01

This paper presents results of tests performed on a fiber optic system of liquid crystalline transducer for hydrostatic pressure monitoring based on properties of colorimetry. The system employs pressure-induced deformations occurring in liquid crystalline (LC) cells configured in a homogeneous Frederiks geometry. The sensor is compared of a round LC cell placed inside a specially designed pressure chamber. As a light source we used a typical diode operating at red wavelength and modulated using standard techniques. The pressure transducer was connected to a computer with a specially designed interface built on the bas of advanced ADAM modules. Results indicate that the system offers high response to pressure with reduced temperature sensitivity and, depending on the LC cell used, can be adjusted for monitoring of low hydrostatic pressures up to 6 MPa. These studies have demonstrated the feasibility of fiber optic liquid crystal colorimeter for hydrostatic pressure sensing specially dedicated to pipe- lines, mining instrumentation, and process-control technologies.

Rotational reorganization of doped cholesteric liquid crystalline films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eelkema, R.; M. Pollard, M.; Katsonis, N.; Vicario, J.; J. Broer, D.; Feringa, B.L.

2006-01-01

In this paper an unprecedented rotational reorganization of cholesteric liquid crystalline films is described. This rotational reorganization results from the conversion of a chiral molecular motor dopant to an isomer with a different helical twisting power, leading to a change in the cholesteric

Effect of Liquid Crystalline Systems Containing Antimicrobial Compounds on Infectious Skin Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Carla; Watanabe, Evandro; Aires, Carolina Patrícia; Lara, Marilisa Guimarães

2017-08-01

This study aimed (i) to prepare liquid crystalline systems (LCS) of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) and water containing antibacterial compounds and (ii) to evaluate their potential as drug delivery systems for topical treatment of bacterial infections. Therefore, LCS containing CPC (cetylpyridinium chloride) (LCS/CPC) and PHMB (poly(hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride) (LCS/PHMB) were prepared and the liquid crystalline phases were identified by polarizing light microscopy 24 h and 7 days after preparation. The in vitro drug release profile and in vitro antibacterial activity of the systems were assessed using the double layer agar diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. The interaction between GMO and the drugs was evaluated by a drug absorption study. Stable liquid crystalline systems containing CPC and PHMB were obtained. LCS/PHMB decreased the PHMB release rate and exerted strong antibacterial activity against all the investigated bacteria. In contrast, CPC interacted with GMO so strongly that it became attached to the system; the amount released was not sufficient to exert antibacterial activity. Therefore, the studied liquid crystalline systems were suitable to deliver PHMB, but not CPC. Accordingly, it was demonstrated that GMO interacts with each drug differently, which may interfere in the final efficiency of GMO/water LCS.

Electric-field triggered controlled release of bioactive volatiles from imine-based liquid crystalline phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrmann, Andreas; Giuseppone, Nicolas; Lehn, Jean-Marie

2009-01-01

Application of an electric field to liquid crystalline film forming imines with negative dielectric anisotropy, such as N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline (MBBA, 1), results in the expulsion of compounds that do not participate in the formation of the liquid crystalline phase. Furthermore, amines and aromatic aldehydes undergo component exchange with the imine by generating constitutional dynamic libraries. The strength of the electric field and the duration of its application to the liquid crystalline film influence the release rate of the expelled compounds and, at the same time, modulate the equilibration of the dynamic libraries. The controlled release of volatile organic molecules with different chemical functionalities from the film was quantified by dynamic headspace analysis. In all cases, higher headspace concentrations were detected in the presence of an electric field. These results point to the possibility of using imine-based liquid crystalline films to build devices for the controlled release of a broad variety of bioactive volatiles as a direct response to an external electric signal.

Electrically tunable spatially variable switching in ferroelectric liquid crystal/water system

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, A.; Coondoo, I.; Prakash, J.; Sreenivas, K.; Biradar, A. M.

2009-04-01

An unusual switching phenomenon in the region outside conducting patterned area in ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) containing about 1-2 wt % of water has been observed. The presence of water in the studied heterogeneous system was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The observed optical studies have been emphasized on the "spatially variable switching" phenomenon of the molecules in the nonconducting region of the cell. The observed phenomenon is due to diffusion of water between the smectic layers of the FLC and the interaction of the curved electric field lines with the FLC molecules in the nonconducting region.

First liquid single crystal elastomer containing lactic acid derivative as chiral co-monomer: synthesis and properties

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubnov, Alexej; Domenici, V.; Hamplová, Věra; Kašpar, Miroslav; Zalar, B.

2011-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 20 (2011), s. 4490-4497 ISSN 0032-3861 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100911; GA AV ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0047; GA MŠk(CZ) OC10006; GA ČR(CZ) GAP204/11/0723 Grant - others:German Czech bilateral program(XE) D4-CZ5/2010-2011; RFASI(RU) 02.740.11.5166 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : liquid crystalline elastomer * ferroelectric liquid crystalline monomer * smectic A phase * X-ray diffraction * lactate chiral group * monodomain * polymer Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.438, year: 2011

Electrical activity of ferroelectric biomaterials and its effects on the adhesion, growth and enzymatic activity of human osteoblast-like cells

Science.gov (United States)

Vaněk, P.; Kolská, Z.; Luxbacher, T.; García, J. A. L.; Lehocký, M.; Vandrovcová, M.; Bačáková, L.; Petzelt, J.

2016-05-01

Ferroelectrics have been, among others, studied as electroactive implant materials. Previous investigations have indicated that such implants induce improved bone formation. If a ferroelectric is immersed in a liquid, an electric double layer and a diffusion layer are formed at the interface. This is decisive for protein adsorption and bioactive behaviour, particularly for the adhesion and growth of cells. The charge distribution can be characterized, in a simplified way, by the zeta potential. We measured the zeta potential in dependence on the surface polarity on poled ferroelectric single crystalline LiNbO3 plates. Both our results and recent results of colloidal probe microscopy indicate that the charge distribution at the surface can be influenced by the surface polarity of ferroelectrics under certain ‘ideal’ conditions (low ionic strength, non-contaminated surface, very low roughness). However, suggested ferroelectric coatings on the surface of implants are far from ideal: they are rough, polycrystalline, and the body fluid is complex and has high ionic strength. In real cases, it can therefore be expected that there is rather low influence of the sign of the surface polarity on the electric diffusion layer and thus on the specific adsorption of proteins. This is supported by our results from studies of the adhesion, growth and the activity of alkaline phosphatase of human osteoblast-like Saos-2 cells on ferroelectric LiNbO3 plates in vitro.

Self-assembly of azobenzene based side-chain liquid crystalline ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The polymeric complexes acquitted as undivided liquid crystalline properties ... India) methanol and other solvents were purified by .... mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred ... Polymer is soluble in DMF, CHCl3, CH2Cl2 and.

Effects of alkaline or liquid-ammonia treatment on crystalline cellulose: changes in crystalline structure and effects on enzymatic digestibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Himmel Michael E

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In converting biomass to bioethanol, pretreatment is a key step intended to render cellulose more amenable and accessible to cellulase enzymes and thus increase glucose yields. In this study, four cellulose samples with different degrees of polymerization and crystallinity indexes were subjected to aqueous sodium hydroxide and anhydrous liquid ammonia treatments. The effects of the treatments on cellulose crystalline structure were studied, in addition to the effects on the digestibility of the celluloses by a cellulase complex. Results From X-ray diffractograms and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, it was revealed that treatment with liquid ammonia produced the cellulose IIII allomorph; however, crystallinity depended on treatment conditions. Treatment at a low temperature (25°C resulted in a less crystalline product, whereas treatment at elevated temperatures (130°C or 140°C gave a more crystalline product. Treatment of cellulose I with aqueous sodium hydroxide (16.5 percent by weight resulted in formation of cellulose II, but also produced a much less crystalline cellulose. The relative digestibilities of the different cellulose allomorphs were tested by exposing the treated and untreated cellulose samples to a commercial enzyme mixture (Genencor-Danisco; GC 220. The digestibility results showed that the starting cellulose I samples were the least digestible (except for corn stover cellulose, which had a high amorphous content. Treatment with sodium hydroxide produced the most digestible cellulose, followed by treatment with liquid ammonia at a low temperature. Factor analysis indicated that initial rates of digestion (up to 24 hours were most strongly correlated with amorphous content. Correlation of allomorph type with digestibility was weak, but was strongest with cellulose conversion at later times. The cellulose IIII samples produced at higher temperatures had comparable crystallinities to the initial cellulose I

Geometric shape control of thin film ferroelectrics and resulting structures

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney A.; Walker, Frederick J.

2000-01-01

A monolithic crystalline structure and a method of making involves a semiconductor substrate, such as silicon, and a ferroelectric film, such as BaTiO.sub.3, overlying the surface of the substrate wherein the atomic layers of the ferroelectric film directly overlie the surface of the substrate. By controlling the geometry of the ferroelectric thin film, either during build-up of the thin film or through appropriate treatment of the thin film adjacent the boundary thereof, the in-plane tensile strain within the ferroelectric film is relieved to the extent necessary to permit the ferroelectric film to be poled out-of-plane, thereby effecting in-plane switching of the polarization of the underlying substrate material. The method of the invention includes the steps involved in effecting a discontinuity of the mechanical restraint at the boundary of the ferroelectric film atop the semiconductor substrate by, for example, either removing material from a ferroelectric film which has already been built upon the substrate, building up a ferroelectric film upon the substrate in a mesa-shaped geometry or inducing the discontinuity at the boundary by ion beam deposition techniques.

Liquid crystalline thermosetting polymers as protective coatings for aerospace

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guerriero, G.L.

2012-01-01

Environmental regulations are driving the development of new aerospace coating systems, mainly to eliminate chromates and reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Among the various potential options for new coating materials, liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) are attractive due to their

Investigations on the liquid crystalline phases of cation-induced ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

liquid crystalline phases of Li–DNA system could be useful in the production of ... undergo unidirectional ordering (the solution starts to become birefringent under ... was spread over the glass slides with a cover slip and sealed with a neutral ...

Electric properties of a liquid crystalline methacrylic polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez Henriquez, C.M.; Soto Bustamante, E.A.; Haase, W.

2009-01-01

The formation of a liquid crystalline polymer called PM6R8 is reported. The polymers were obtained with different concentration of AIBN as initiator (0.25, 0.50, 1 and 2mg in 5ml solution) and time of reaction (24, 36 and 48 hours). The compounds were characterized by 1 H-NMR, differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffractometer and pyroelectric measurements. For the polymer a smectic C 2 phase occurs over broad temperature range, which is a possible explanation for the electric signal. The arrangement of the molecules within of the crystalline lattice is related with the kinetic of precipitation. (author)

Interest of neutron scattering for the investigation of liquid-crystalline polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noirez, L.

1994-01-01

Small-angle Neutron scattering is the unique method which allows the determination of polymer conformation in the bulk state. This method has been applied to several kinds of liquid crystalline polymers. Results concerning side-chain liquid-crystal polymer, main-chain liquid-crystal polymer and combined liquid-crystal polymers, are reported. It is shown that the polymer conformation is largely dependent on the insertion site of the liquid crystal molecule and of the structure of the meso-phase. (author). 11 refs

Gamma Radiation Damage Evaluation Studies on Ferroelectric La and Nb doped PZT Related Ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cruz, Carlos M.; Pinnera, Ibrahin; Rodriguez, Arturo; Durruti, Ma. Dolores; Hernandez, Moises; Yannez-Limon, J. M.

2015-01-01

It is reported the research results of the gamma radiation damage evaluation on La (crystalline sites A) and / or Nb (crystalline sites B) doped ferroelectric PZT ceramics, which were irradiated with 60 Co gamma rays by applying two irradiation regimes: up to 125 lGy (irradiation steps of 25 kGy) and up to 700 kGy (irradiation steps of 100 kGy) exposition doses. The X Ray Diffraction pattern profiles of the irradiated sample were analyzed and the induced crystalline structure changes are reported and correlated with the observed irradiation induced changes on their ferroelectric properties on regard of the irradiation doses. Through the application of the MCCM atom displacements calculations algorithm and code, total dpa profiles were calculated for the studied samples, as well as, the dpa contributions of the different atomics species, where the atom displacements threshold energies were extrapolated from the values calculated by Molecular Dynamic methods for BaTiO 3 system. An evaluation of the reported dpa calculated values on regard of the observed crystal structure and radiation response of the ferroelectric properties is presented. (Author)

Induction of Liquid Crystallinity by Self-Assembled Molecular Boxes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piermattei, A.; Giesbers, M.; Marcelis, A.T.M.; Mendes, E.; Picken, S.J.; Crego-Calama, M.; Reinhoudt, D.N.

2006-01-01

In a hierarchical process, three molecules of a calix[4]arene (blue) and six of barbituric or cyanuric acid (green) assemble into double-rosette boxes, which assemble into columns, which in turn assemble into columnar liquid-crystalline phases (see picture). The resulting mesophases have a

Polarization-coupled tunable resistive behavior in oxide ferroelectric heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruverman, Alexei [Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States); Tsymbal, Evgeny Y. [Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States); Eom, Chang-Beom [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2017-05-03

This research focuses on investigation of the physical mechanism of the electrically and mechanically tunable resistive behavior in oxide ferroelectric heterostructures with engineered interfaces realized via a strong coupling of ferroelectric polarization with tunneling electroresistance and metal-insulator (M-I) transitions. This report describes observation of electrically conductive domain walls in semiconducting ferroelectrics, voltage-free control of resistive switching and demonstration of a new mechanism of electrical control of 2D electron gas (2DEG) at oxide interfaces. The research goals are achieved by creating strong synergy between cutting-edge fabrication of epitaxial single-crystalline complex oxides, nanoscale electrical characterization by scanning probe microscopy and theoretical modeling of the observed phenomena. The concept of the ferroelectric devices with electrically and mechanically tunable nonvolatile resistance represents a new paradigm shift in realization of the next-generation of non-volatile memory devices and low-power logic switches.

Dry Powder Precursors of Cubic Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles (cubosomes)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spicer, Patrick T.; Small, William B.; Small, William B.; Lynch, Matthew L.; Burns, Janet L.

2002-01-01

Cubosomes are dispersed nanostructured particles of cubic phase liquid crystal that have stimulated significant research interest because of their potential for application in controlled-release and drug delivery. Despite the interest, cubosomes can be difficult to fabricate and stabilize with current methods. Most of the current work is limited to liquid phase processes involving high shear dispersion of bulk cubic liquid crystalline material into sub-micron particles, limiting application flexibility. In this work, two types of dry powder cubosome precursors are produced by spray-drying: (1) starch-encapsulated monoolein is produced by spray-drying a dispersion of cubic liquid crystalline particles in an aqueous starch solution and (2) dextran-encapsulated monoolein is produced by spray-drying an emulsion formed by the ethanol-dextran-monoolein-water system. The encapsulants are used to decrease powder cohesion during drying and to act as a soluble colloidal stabilizer upon hydration of the powders. Both powders are shown to form (on average) 0.6 μm colloidally-stable cubosomes upon addition to water. However, the starch powders have a broader particle size distribution than the dextran powders because of the relative ease of spraying emulsions versus dispersions. The developed processes enable the production of nanostructured cubosomes by end-users rather than just specialized researchers and allow tailoring of the surface state of the cubosomes for broader application

Piezo-optical and electro-optical behaviour of nematic liquid crystals dispersed in a ferroelectric copolymer matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, Lakshmi Meena; Wirges, Werner; Gerhard, Reimund; Mellinger, Axel

2010-01-01

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) are composite materials that consist of micrometre-sized liquid-crystal (LC) droplets embedded in a polymer matrix. From ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) and a nematic LC, PDLC films containing 10 and 60 wt% LC were prepared, and their electro-optical and piezo-optical behaviour was investigated. The electric field that is generated by the application of mechanical stress leads to changes in the transmittance of the PDLC film through a combination of piezoelectric and electro-optical effects. Such a piezo-optical PDLC material may be useful, e.g., in sensing and visualization applications.

Bicontinuous cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles for oral delivery of Doxorubicin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Swarnakar, Nitin K; Thanki, Kaushik; Jain, Sanyog

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: The present study explores the potential of bicontinous cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) for improving therapeutic potential of doxorubicin. METHODS: Phytantriol based Dox-LCNPs were prepared using hydrotrope method, optimized for various formulation components, process...

Thermotropic liquid crystalline polyazomethine nanocomposites via in situ interlayer polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Ungki; Chang, Jin-Hae

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Nanocomposites of polyazomethine with the organoclay C 12 -MMT were synthesized by using the in situ interlayer polymerization method. → The thermal properties of the polyazomethine hybrids increase with the addition of the organoclay up to a critical content and then decrease with further organoclay loading. → Liquid crystalline compositions with 0-9 wt% organoclay have threaded Schlieren nematic textures. - Abstract: Nanocomposites of polyazomethine (PAM) with the organoclay C 12 -MMT were synthesized by using the in situ interlayer polymerization method. The variations with organoclay content of the thermal properties, morphology, and liquid crystalline mesophases of the hybrids were determined for concentrations from 0 to 9 wt% C 12 -MMT. The thermal properties and the morphologies of the PAM nanocomposites were examined by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). The XRD analysis and TEM micrographs show that the levels of nanosize dispersion can be controlled by varying the C 12 -MMT content. The clay particles are better dispersed in the matrix polymer at low clay contents than at high clay contents. With the exception of the glass transition temperature (T g ), the maximum enhancement in the thermal properties was found to arise at an organoclay content of 1 wt%. Further, the PAM hybrids were shown to exhibit a nematic liquid crystalline phase for organoclay contents in the range 0-9 wt%.

Effect of lateral methoxy substitution on mesomorphic and structural properties of ferroelectric liquid crystals

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubnov, Alexej M.; Kašpar, Miroslav; Novotná, Vladimíra; Hamplová, Věra; Glogarová, Milada; Kapernaum, N.; Giesselmann, F.

2008-01-01

Roč. 35, č. 11 (2008), s. 1329-1337 ISSN 0267-8292 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/05/0431; GA AV ČR IAA100100710 Grant - others:DAAD-ASCR(XE) D11-CZ7/06-07; DAAD-ASCR(XE) D7-CZ8/08-09 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : ferroelectric liquid crystal * chiral materials * x-ray diffraction * dielectric properties * layer shrinkage * spontaneous polarisation Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.132, year: 2008

Nonionic diethanolamide amphiphiles with isoprenoid-type hydrocarbon chains: thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystalline phase behaviour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sagnella, Sharon M.; Conn, Charlotte E.; Krodkiewska, Irena; Drummond, Calum J. (CSIRO/MSE)

2014-09-24

The thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystalline phase behaviour of a series of diethanolamide amphiphiles with isoprenoid-type hydrocarbon chains (geranoyl, H-farnesoyl, and phytanoyl) has been investigated. When neat, both H-farnesoyl and phytanoyl diethanolamide form a smectic liquid crystalline structure at sub-zero temperatures. In addition, all three diethanolamides exhibit a glass transition temperature at around -73 C. Geranoyl diethanolamide forms a lamellar crystalline phase with a lattice parameter of 17.4 {angstrom} following long term storage accompanied by the loss of the glass transition. In the presence of water, H-farnesoyl and phytanoyl diethanolamide form lyotropic liquid crystalline phases, whilst geranoyl diethanolamide forms an L{sub 2} phase. H-farnesoyl diethanolamide forms a fluid lamellar phase (L{sub {alpha}}) at room temperature and up to {approx} 40 C. Phytanoyl diethanolamide displays a rich mesomorphism forming the inverse diamond (Q{sub II}{sup D}) and gyroid (Q{sub II}{sup G}) bicontinuous cubic phases in addition to an L{sub {alpha}} phase.

Quantum Hall Ferroelectrics and Nematics in Multivalley Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Sodemann, Inti; Zhu, Zheng; Fu, Liang

2017-10-01

We study broken symmetry states at integer Landau-level fillings in multivalley quantum Hall systems whose low-energy dispersions are anisotropic. When the Fermi surface of individual pockets lacks twofold rotational symmetry, like in bismuth (111) [Feldman et al. , Observation of a Nematic Quantum Hall Liquid on the Surface of Bismuth, Science 354, 316 (2016), 10.1126/science.aag1715] and in Sn1 -xPbxSe (001) [Dziawa et al., Topological Crystalline Insulator States in Pb1 -xSnxSe , Nat. Mater. 11, 1023 (2012), 10.1038/nmat3449] surfaces, interactions tend to drive the formation of quantum Hall ferroelectric states. We demonstrate that the dipole moment in these states has an intimate relation to the Fermi surface geometry of the parent metal. In quantum Hall nematic states, like those arising in AlAs quantum wells, we demonstrate the existence of unusually robust Skyrmion quasiparticles.

Nonlinear Raman spectroscopy of liquid crystals: orientational alignment and switching behaviour in a ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Grofcsik, Andras

Picosecond inverse Raman spectroscopy has been employed to probe the alignment behaviour and switching characteristics of a 6 mum thick ferroelectric liquid crystal based on a host mixture of fluorinated phenyl biphenylcarboxylates and a chiral dopant. Optical bistability is observed in the Raman signal on application of dc electric fields of opposite polarity. For particular polarities of the applied field, the Raman signals display a cos4theta dependence on the angle of rotation around the beam direction. Reorientational rate constants of 300 mus and 590 mus are observed for the aromatic core at the high-voltage limit for the rise and decay of the 1600 cm-1 Raman signal on application of a switching ac electric field.

Synthesis, characterization and electro-optic properties of novel siloxane liquid crystalline with a large tilt angle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Chien-Tung; Lee, Jiunn-Yih; Lai, Chiu-Chun

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → In this study we report the synthesis and characterization of new ferroelectric liquid crystal material. → We examined the influence of the addition of a trisiloxane end-group on one side-chain of an achiral alkyl chain on the phase transition. → Finally, the properties of the chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase were measured for target compounds. - Abstract: This paper presents a study of the ferroelectric behavior in low molar mass organosiloxane liquid crystal materials. A few novel series of compounds with a large tilt angle were synthesized, and the mesophases exhibited were compared. The mesophases under discussion were investigated by means of polarizing microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electro-optical experiments. The influence of the molecular structure on the occurrence of the chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase was investigated. Finally, the electro-optical properties of the SmC* phase, such as tilt angle, dielectric permittivity and switching behavior were also measured. As a consequence, the correlation between the electro-optical properties and chemical structures of these compounds was investigated.

Synergy in lipofection by cationic lipid mixtures: superior activity at the gel-liquid crystalline phase transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Koynova, Rumiana; Wang, Li; MacDonald, Robert C

2007-07-12

Some mixtures of two cationic lipids including phospholipid compounds (O-ethylphosphatidylcholines) as well as common, commercially available cationic lipids, such as dimethylammonium bromides and trimethylammonium propanes, deliver therapeutic DNA considerably more efficiently than do the separate molecules. In an effort to rationalize this widespread "mixture synergism", we examined the phase behavior of the cationic lipid mixtures and constructed their binary phase diagrams. Among a group of more than 50 formulations, the compositions with maximum delivery activity resided unambiguously in the solid-liquid crystalline two-phase region at physiological temperature. Thus, the transfection efficacy of formulations exhibiting solid-liquid crystalline phase coexistence is more than 5 times higher than that of formulations in the gel (solid) phase and over twice that of liquid crystalline formulations; phase coexistence occurring at physiological temperature thus appears to contribute significantly to mixture synergism. This relationship between delivery activity and physical property can be rationalized on the basis of the known consequences of lipid-phase transitions, namely, the accumulation of defects and increased disorder at solid-liquid crystalline phase boundaries. Packing defects at the borders of coexisting solid and liquid crystalline domains, as well as large local density fluctuations, could be responsible for the enhanced fusogenicity of mixtures. This study leads to the important conclusion that manipulating the composition of the lipid carriers so that their phase transition takes place at physiological temperature can enhance their delivery efficacy.

Liquid crystalline polymer nanocomposites reinforced with in-situ reduced graphene oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Pedrazzoli

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this work liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP nanocomposites reinforced with in-situ reduced graphene oxide are investigated. Graphene oxide (GO was first synthesized by the Hummers method, and the kinetics of its thermal reduction was assessed. GO layers were then homogeneously dispersed in a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer matrix (Vectran®, and an in-situ thermal reduction of GO into reduced graphene oxide (rGO was performed. Even at low rGO amount, the resulting nanocomposites exhibited an enhancement of both the mechanical properties and the thermal stability. Improvements of the creep stability and of the thermo-mechanical behavior were also observed upon nanofiller incorporation. Furthermore, in-situ thermal reduction of the insulating GO into the more electrically conductive rGO led to an important surface resistivity decrease in the nanofilled samples.

Langmuir-Blodgett films prepared from pre-formed cholestanic liquid-crystalline polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tundo, P.; Hodge, P.; Valli, L.; Davis, F. (Venice Univ. (Italy). Dip. di Scienze Ambientali Lecce Univ. (Italy). Dip. di Scienza dei Materiali Manchester Univ. (United Kingdom). Dep. of Chemistry)

1992-01-01

A series of alternating copolymers of maleic anhydride and a-olefins functionalized through different alkyl chains with cholestanic groups were synthetised and derivatives prepared by reactions of the anhydride residues with methanol, water, dimethylamine and morpholine, respectively. The same starting functionalized a-olefins were used to prepare other suitable compounds in order to correlate the features of the liquid-crystalline behaviour of the mesogenic cholestanic group with the stability of the forthcoming polymeric or not polymeric Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. For some copolymers surface pressure against area per molecule isotherms are reported. In some multilayer (LB) films, the spacings between the layers were determined by the detection of BRAGG peaks by X-ray diffraction. The (LB) films of these polymers are closed packed, owing to either the polymeric skeleton or liquid-crystalline interaction.

Induction of liquid crystallinity of by self-assembled molecular boxes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piermattei, A.; Giesbers, Marcel; Marcelis, Antonius T.M.; Mendes, Eduardo; Picken, Stephen J.; Crego Calama, Mercedes; Reinhoudt, David

2006-01-01

Jewel-box: In a hierarchical process, three molecules of a calix[4]arene (blue) and six of barbituric or cyanuric acid (green) assemble into double-rosette boxes, which assemble into columns, which in turn assemble into columnar liquid-crystalline phases (see picture). The resulting mesophases have

Shape-memory effect of nanocomposites based on liquid-crystalline elastomers

Science.gov (United States)

Marotta, A.; Lama, G. C.; Gentile, G.; Cerruti, P.; Carfagna, C.; Ambrogi, V.

2016-05-01

In this work, nanocomposites based on liquid crystalline (LC) elastomers were prepared and characterized in their shape memory properties. For the synthesis of materials, p-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-α-methylstilbene (DOMS) was used as mesogenic epoxy monomer, sebacic acid (SA) as curing agent and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene oxide (GO) as fillers. First, an effective compatibilization methodology was set up to improve the interfacial adhesion between the matrix and the carbonaceous nanofillers, thus obtaining homogeneous distribution and dispersion of the nanofillers within the polymer phase. Then, the obtained nanocomposite films were characterized in their morphological and thermal properties. In particular, the effect of the addition of the nanofillers on liquid crystalline behavior, as well as on shape-memory properties of the realized materials was investigated. It was found that both fillers were able to enhance the thermomechanical response of the LC elastomers, making them good candidates as shape memory materials.

Synthesis and characterization of novel side-chain liquid crystalline polycarbonates, 4 - Synthesis of side-chain liquid crystalline polycarbonates with mesogenic groups having tails of different lengths

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, J.C.; Addink, R.; Nijenhuis, K.T.; Mijs, W.J.

1999-01-01

Side-chain liquid crystalline polycarbonates with alkoxyphenylbenzoate side groups, having a short spacer and tails ranging from 1 to 8 C-atoms, were synthesized. The polymers were prepared by an organo-zinc catalysed copolymerization of carbon dioxide and mesogenic 4-alkoxyphenyl

Liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite material for dental application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-Yuan Tai

2015-01-01

Conclusion: The microhardness of the bracket-like blocks made by our new material is superior to the commercially available brackets, even after thermocycling. Our results indicate that the evaluated liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite materials are of an appropriate quality for application in dental core and post systems and in various restorations. By applying technology to refine manufacturing processes, these new materials could also be used to fabricate esthetic brackets for orthodontic treatment.

Electro-optic switching and dielectric spectroscopy studies of ferroelectric liquid crystals with low and high spontaneous polarization

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malik, P.; Raina, K.K.; Bubnov, Alexej; Choudhary, A.; Singh, R.

Roč. 519, č. 3 ( 2010 ), 1052-1055 ISSN 0040-6090 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100911; GA AV ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0047 Grant - others:RFASI(RU) 02.740.11.5166 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : spontaneous polarization * ferroelectric liquid crystal * relaxation frequency * Goldstone mode Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.909, year: 2010

Piezoelectricity of a ferroelectric liquid crystal with a glass transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Jákli, A; Tóth-Katona, T; Scharf, T; Schadt, M; Saupe, A

2002-07-01

Pressure-electric (hydrostatic piezoelectric) measurements are reported on bookshelf textures of a ferroelectric smectic-C (Sm C*) liquid crystal with a glass transition. The continuous variation of a partially fluid state to the solid glass enables one to trace how the piezoelectric effect depends on the consistency of the material. It was observed that in the Sm C* samples with poled glass the piezoelectric constants are comparable to conventional piezoelectric crystals and poled piezoelectric polymers. This implies their application possibilities. The magnitude of the piezoelectric constant in the glassy state depends very much on the poling conditions. The studies indicate that there are two counteracting effects, which cancel each other out in the Sm C* phase near the glass transition. Our analysis indicates that the pressure-induced director tilt change has a dominating effect both in the fluid and the glassy Sm C* states.

Lyotropic liquid crystalline phase behaviour in amphiphile-protic ionic liquid systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhengfei; Greaves, Tamar L; Fong, Celesta; Caruso, Rachel A; Drummond, Calum J

2012-03-21

Approximate partial phase diagrams for nine amphiphile-protic ionic liquid (PIL) systems have been determined by synchrotron source small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and cross polarised optical microscopy. The binary phase diagrams of some common cationic (hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, CTAC, and hexadecylpyridinium bromide, HDPB) and nonionic (polyoxyethylene (10) oleyl ether, Brij 97, and Pluronic block copolymer, P123) amphiphiles with the PILs, ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), ethanolammonium nitrate (EOAN) and diethanolammonium formate (DEOAF), have been studied. The phase diagrams were constructed for concentrations from 10 wt% to 80 wt% amphiphile, in the temperature range 25 °C to >100 °C. Lyotropic liquid crystalline phases (hexagonal, cubic and lamellar) were formed at high surfactant concentrations (typically >50 wt%), whereas at thermal stability of the phases formed by these surfactants persisted to temperatures above 100 °C. The phase behaviour of amphiphile-PIL systems was interpreted by considering the PIL cohesive energy, liquid nanoscale order, polarity and ionicity. For comparison the phase behaviour of the four amphiphiles was also studied in water.

Above-room-temperature ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity in benzimidazoles

Science.gov (United States)

Horiuchi, Sachio; Kagawa, Fumitaka; Hatahara, Kensuke; Kobayashi, Kensuke; Kumai, Reiji; Murakami, Youichi; Tokura, Yoshinori

2012-12-01

The imidazole unit is chemically stable and ubiquitous in biological systems; its proton donor and acceptor moieties easily bind molecules into a dipolar chain. Here we demonstrate that chains of these amphoteric molecules can often be bistable in electric polarity and electrically switchable, even in the crystalline state, through proton tautomerization. Polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis experiments reveal a high electric polarization ranging from 5 to 10 μC cm-2 at room temperature. Of these molecules, 2-methylbenzimidazole allows ferroelectric switching in two dimensions due to its pseudo-tetragonal crystal symmetry. The ferroelectricity is also thermally robust up to 400 K, as is that of 5,6-dichloro-2-methylbenzimidazole (up to ~373 K). In contrast, three other benzimidazoles exhibit double P-E hysteresis curves characteristic of antiferroelectricity. The diversity of imidazole substituents is likely to stimulate a systematic exploration of various structure-property relationships and domain engineering in the quest for lead- and rare-metal-free ferroelectric devices.

Homogenized electromechanical properties of crystalline and ceramic relaxor ferroelectric 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 0.42PbTiO3

Science.gov (United States)

Jayachandran, K. P.; Guedes, J. M.; Rodrigues, H. C.

2007-10-01

A modelling framework that incorporates the peculiarities of microstructural features, such as the spatial correlation of crystallographic orientations and morphological texture in piezoelectrics, is established. The mathematical homogenization theory of a piezoelectric medium is implemented using the finite element method by solving the coupled equilibrium electrical and mechanical fields. The dependence of the domain orientation on the macroscopic electromechanical properties of crystalline as well as polycrystalline ceramic relaxor ferroelectric 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.42PbTiO3 (PMN-42% PT) is studied based on this model. The material shows large anisotropy in the piezoelectric coefficient ejK in its crystalline form. The homogenized electromechanical moduli of polycrystalline ceramic also exhibit significantly anisotropic behaviours. An optimum texture at which the piezoceramic exhibits its maximum longitudinal piezoelectric response is identified.

Stress effects in ferroelectric perovskite thin-films

Science.gov (United States)

Zednik, Ricardo Johann

synchrotron x-ray diffraction indicates that a small effective restoring stress of about 1 MPa acts on the domain walls in these nano-crystalline PZT films. This insight allows reversible control of the ferroelectric and dielectric behavior of these important functional oxide materials, with important implications for associated integrated devices.

Experimental demonstration of a ferroelectric liquid crystal tunable filter for fast demodulation of FBG sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Mathews, Sunish; Semenova, Yuliya; Rajan, Ginu; Farrell, Gerald

2009-05-01

A discretely tunable Surface-Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal based Lyot Filter, with tuning speeds in the order of microseconds, is demonstrated experimentally as a channel dropper for the demodulation of multiple Fibre Bragg Grating sensors. The 3-stage Lyot Filter designed and experimentally verified can be used together with the high-speed ratiometric wavelength measurement system employing a fibre bend loss edge filter. Such systems can be used for the demodulation of distributed Fibre Bragg Grating sensors employed in applications such as structural monitoring, industrial sensing and haptic telerobotic surgical systems.

Liquid-like thermal conduction in intercalated layered crystalline solids

Science.gov (United States)

Li, B.; Wang, H.; Kawakita, Y.; Zhang, Q.; Feygenson, M.; Yu, H. L.; Wu, D.; Ohara, K.; Kikuchi, T.; Shibata, K.; Yamada, T.; Ning, X. K.; Chen, Y.; He, J. Q.; Vaknin, D.; Wu, R. Q.; Nakajima, K.; Kanatzidis, M. G.

2018-03-01

As a generic property, all substances transfer heat through microscopic collisions of constituent particles1. A solid conducts heat through both transverse and longitudinal acoustic phonons, but a liquid employs only longitudinal vibrations2,3. As a result, a solid is usually thermally more conductive than a liquid. In canonical viewpoints, such a difference also serves as the dynamic signature distinguishing a solid from a liquid. Here, we report liquid-like thermal conduction observed in the crystalline AgCrSe2. The transverse acoustic phonons are completely suppressed by the ultrafast dynamic disorder while the longitudinal acoustic phonons are strongly scattered but survive, and are thus responsible for the intrinsically ultralow thermal conductivity. This scenario is applicable to a wide variety of layered compounds with heavy intercalants in the van der Waals gaps, manifesting a broad implication on suppressing thermal conduction. These microscopic insights might reshape the fundamental understanding on thermal transport properties of matter and open up a general opportunity to optimize performances of thermoelectrics.

White emission from liquid-crystalline copolymers containing oxadiazole moieties in the side chain

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamoto, Masuki; Tsukamoto, Takuji; Kinoshita, Motoi; Ikeda, Tomiki

2006-09-01

A liquid-crystalline polymer in the side chain was synthesized through copolymerization of a bipolar carrier-transporting monomer with a liquid-crystalline monomer containing oxadiazole moieties substituted with trifluoromethyl groups. A single-layer light-emitting diode of indium tin oxide (ITO)/copolymer/MgAg emitted white light with a maximum luminous efficiency of 0.1cd/A. The origin of the white emission in the copolymer is the electroplex between bipolar carrier-transporting moieties and strong electron-withdrawing moieties. Furthermore, a simple multilayer device with configuration of ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonic acid)/copolymer/MgAg device showed white emission with CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinates (x,y): (0.30, 0.33).

Novel biphotonic holographic storage in a side-chain liquid crystalline polyester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanujam, P.S.; Hvilsted, S.; Andruzzi, F.

1993-01-01

We report novel biphotonic holographic storage of text and gratings on unoriented films of a side-chain liquid crystalline polyester capable of high density storage and complete erasure. The holograms have a typical size of 1 mm. The recording utilizes unusual photochemistry involving azo dye...

Dielectric and electro-optical parameters of two ferroelectric liquid crystals: a comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar Misra, Abhishek; Kumar Srivastava, Abhishek; Shukla, J P; Manohar, Rajiv

2008-01-01

Dielectric relaxation and an electro-optical study of two ferroelectric liquid crystals having different spontaneous polarizations (Felix 16/100 and Felix 17/000) showing SmC* and SmA phases have been performed in the temperature range 30-80 compfn C. The experimental data have been used to determine different relaxation parameters, viz. distribution parameter, relaxation frequency, dielectric strength and rotational viscosity. The Goldstone mode of dielectric permittivity has been well observed for both the samples under investigation. The activation energy of both the samples has also been determined by the best theoretical fitting of the Arrhenius plot. We have also evaluated the optical response time and anchoring energy coefficients from electro-optical measurement techniques for these samples.

Dynamic fatigue on repolarization of lead zirconate-titanate base ceramics with various ferroelectric hardness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavrilyachenko, V.G.; Semenchev, A.F.; Sklyarova, E.N.; Kuznetsova, E.M.

2006-01-01

One studied experimentally changes of the residual polarization in lead zirconate-titanate base ceramics with various ferroelectric hardness under the effect of a strong varying field. The twinning and untwinning of crystallites accompanying repolarization is assumed to be the basic mechanism of propagation of the crystalline structure defects governing the fatigue rates of the ferroelectric-soft ceramics. In ferroelectric-hard ceramics crystallites the stable configurations of mechanical twins, the result of the secondary twinning, are formed when the hysteresis loop is formed. At repolarization in the mentioned structures one observes no motion of the twin boundaries, and the fatigue rates are low ones [ru

Biaxiality in Nematic and Smectic Liquid Crystals. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Satyendra [Kent State Univ., Kent, OH (United States); Li, Quan [Kent State Univ., Kent, OH (United States); Srinivasarao, Mohan [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Agra-Kooijman, Dena M. [Kent State Univ., Kent, OH (United States); Rey, Alejandro [McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada)

2017-01-24

During the award period, the project team explored several phenomena in a diverse group of soft condensed matter systems. These include understanding of the structure of the newly discovered twist-bend nematic phase, solving the mystery of de Vries smectic phases, probing of interesting associations and defect structures in chromonic liquid crystalline systems, dispersions of ferroelectric nanoparticles in smectic liquid crystals, investigations of newly synthesized light sensitive and energy harvesting materials with highly desirable transport properties. Our findings are summarized in the following report followed by a list of 36 publications and 37 conference presentations. We achieved this with the support of Basic Sciences Division of the US DOE for which we are thankful.

Side-chain liquid-crystalline polyesters for optical information storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvilsted, Søren; Andruzzi, F.; Ramanujam, P.S.

1992-01-01

We report erasable holographic recording with a resolution of at least 2500 lines/mm on unoriented films of side-chain liquid-crystalline polyesters. Recording energies of approximately 1 J/cm2 have been used. We have obtained a diffraction efficiency of approximately 30% with polarization record...... recording of holograms. The holograms can be erased by heating them to approximately 80-degrees-C for approximately 2 min and are available for rerecording....

Fast switchable ferroelectric liquid crystal gratings with two electro-optical modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Ying; Srivastava, A. K.; Chigrinov, V. G.; Kwok, H.-S.; Wang, Xiaoqian

2016-01-01

In this article, we reveal a theoretical and experimental illustration of the Ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) grating fabricated by mean of patterned alignment based on photo-alignment. The complexity related to the mismatching of the predefined alignment domains on the top and bottom substrate has been avoided by incorporating only one side photo aligned substrate while the other substrate does not have any alignment layer. Depending on the easy axis in the said alignment domains and the azimuth plane of the impinging polarized light, the diffracting element can be tuned in two modes i.e. DIFF/OFF switchable and DIFF/TRANS switchable modes, which can be applied to different applications. The diffraction profile has been illustrated theoretically that fits well with the experimental finding and thus the proposed diffraction elements with fast response time and high diffraction efficiency could find application in many modern devices.

Manipulating the ferroelectric polarization state of BaTiO{sub 3} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Datta, S.; Rioult, M.; Stanescu, D.; Magnan, H.; Barbier, A., E-mail: antoine.barbier@cea.fr

2016-05-31

Controlling the ferroelectric polarization at macroscopic or microscopic levels is crucial in the framework of the development of ferroelectric materials used in yet challenging photo-electrochemical (PEC) cells and spintronic applications. We report here on polarization methods allowing to electrically polarize prototypical samples of BaTiO{sub 3} (001) films. Epitaxial single crystalline layers were grown up to a thickness of 25 nm by atomic oxygen assisted molecular beam epitaxy on 1 at.% Nb doped SrTiO{sub 3} (001) single crystals. The samples were both microscopically and macroscopically polarized using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and electrochemical poling in an electrolyte respectively. In addition we demonstrate the possibility to retrieve a quasi-native mixed ferroelectric polarization state after annealing. These polarization methods may be applied to many other ferroelectric thin films. - Highlights: • Ferroelectricity of BaTiO{sub 3} layers can be micro- and macroscopically controlled. • Microscopic ferroelectric domains are defined with piezoresponse force microscopy. • Poling in a LiClO{sub 4} electrolyte is a macroscopic poling method. • Air annealing above the Curie temperature “resets” the polarization state.

Universal ferroelectric switching dynamics of vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer films

KAUST Repository

Hu, Weijin

2014-04-24

In this work, switching dynamics of poly(vinylidene fluoride- trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer films are investigated over unprecedentedly wide ranges of temperature and electric field. Remarkably, domain switching of copolymer films obeys well the classical domain nucleation and growth model although the origin of ferroelectricity in organic ferroelectric materials inherently differs from the inorganic counterparts. A lower coercivity limit of 50 ...MV/m and 180 domain wall energy of 60 ...mJ/m 2 are determined for P(VDF-TrFE) films. Furthermore, we discover in copolymer films an anomalous temperature-dependent crossover behavior between two power-law scaling regimes of frequency-dependent coercivity, which is attributed to the transition between flow and creep motions of domain walls. Our observations shed new light on the switching dynamics of semi-crystalline ferroelectric polymers, and such understandings are critical for realizing their reliable applications.

Universal ferroelectric switching dynamics of vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer films

KAUST Repository

Hu, Weijin; Juo, Deng-Ming; You, Lu; Wang, Junling; Chen, Yi-Chun; Chu, Ying-Hao; Wu, Tao

2014-01-01

In this work, switching dynamics of poly(vinylidene fluoride- trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer films are investigated over unprecedentedly wide ranges of temperature and electric field. Remarkably, domain switching of copolymer films obeys well the classical domain nucleation and growth model although the origin of ferroelectricity in organic ferroelectric materials inherently differs from the inorganic counterparts. A lower coercivity limit of 50 ...MV/m and 180 domain wall energy of 60 ...mJ/m 2 are determined for P(VDF-TrFE) films. Furthermore, we discover in copolymer films an anomalous temperature-dependent crossover behavior between two power-law scaling regimes of frequency-dependent coercivity, which is attributed to the transition between flow and creep motions of domain walls. Our observations shed new light on the switching dynamics of semi-crystalline ferroelectric polymers, and such understandings are critical for realizing their reliable applications.

CuInS2/ZnS QD-ferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures for faster electro-optical devices and their energy storage aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Dharmendra Pratap; Vimal, Tripti; Mange, Yatin J.; Varia, Mahesh C.; Nann, Thomas; Pandey, K. K.; Manohar, Rajiv; Douali, Redouane

2018-01-01

CuInS2/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (CIS/ZnS QDs) dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) mixtures have been characterized for their application in electro-optical devices, energy storage, and solar cells. Physical properties of the CIS/ZnS QD-FLC (ferroelectric liquid crystal) mixtures have also been investigated with varying QD concentrations in order to optimize the critical concentration of QDs in mixtures. The presence of QDs breaks the geometrical symmetry in the FLC matrix, which results in a change in the physical properties of the mixtures. We observed the reduced values of primary and secondary order parameters (tilt angle and spontaneous polarization, respectively) for mixtures, which also depend on the concentration of QDs. The reduction of spontaneous polarization in QDs-FLC mixtures is attributed to the adverse role of flexoelectric contribution in the mixtures. The 92% faster electro-optic response and enhanced capacitance indicate the possible application of these mixtures in electro-optical devices and solar cells. Photoluminescence emission of pure FLC and QDs-FLC mixtures has been thermally tailored, which is explained by suitable models.

Ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films on Ti substrate fabricated using pulsed-laser deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

He, J; Jiang, J C; Liu, J; Collins, G; Chen, C L; Lin, B; Giurgiutiu, V; Guo, R Y; Bhalla, A; Meletis, E I

2010-09-01

We report on the fabrication of ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films on titanium substrates using pulsed laser deposition and their microstructures and properties. Electron microscopy studies reveal that BaTiO3 films are composed of crystalline assemblage of nanopillars with average cross sections from 100 nm to 200 nm. The BaTiO3 films have good interface structures and strong adhesion with respect to Ti substrates by forming a rutile TiO2 intermediate layer with a gradient microstructure. The room temperature ferroelectric polarization measurements show that the as-deposited BTO films possess nearly the same spontaneous polarization as the bulk BTO ceramics indicating formation of ferroelectric domains in the films. Successful fabrication of such ferroelectric films on Ti has significant importance for the development of new applications such as structural health monitoring spanning from aerospace to civil infrastructure. The work can be extended to integrate other ferroelectric oxide films with various promising properties to monitor the structural health of materials.

Side-chain liquid crystalline polyesters for optical information storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanujam, P.S.; Holme, Christian; Hvilsted, Søren

1996-01-01

and holographic storage in one particular polyester are described in detail and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic data complementing the optical data are presented. Optical and atomic force microscope investigations point to a laser-induced aggregation as responsible for permanent optical storage.......Azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline polyester structures suitable for permanent optical storage are described. The synthesis and characterization of the polyesters together with differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray investigations are discussed. Optical anisotropic investigations...

Biphenyl liquid crystalline epoxy resin as a low-shrinkage resin-based dental restorative nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Sheng-Hao; Chen, Rung-Shu; Chang, Yuan-Ling; Chen, Min-Huey; Cheng, Kuo-Chung; Su, Wei-Fang

2012-11-01

Low-shrinkage resin-based photocurable liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite has been investigated with regard to its application as a dental restoration material. The nanocomposite consists of an organic matrix and an inorganic reinforcing filler. The organic matrix is made of liquid crystalline biphenyl epoxy resin (BP), an epoxy resin consisting of cyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate (ECH), the photoinitiator 4-octylphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate and the photosensitizer champhorquinone. The inorganic filler is silica nanoparticles (∼70-100 nm). The nanoparticles were modified by an epoxy silane of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane to be compatible with the organic matrix and to chemically bond with the organic matrix after photo curing. By incorporating the BP liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin into conventional ECH epoxy resin, the nanocomposite has improved hardness, flexural modulus, water absorption and coefficient of thermal expansion. Although the incorporation of silica filler may dilute the reinforcing effect of crystalline BP, a high silica filler content (∼42 vol.%) was found to increase the physical and chemical properties of the nanocomposite due to the formation of unique microstructures. The microstructure of nanoparticle embedded layers was observed in the nanocomposite using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This unique microstructure indicates that the crystalline BP and nanoparticles support each other and result in outstanding mechanical properties. The crystalline BP in the LC epoxy resin-based nanocomposite was partially melted during exothermic photopolymerization, and the resin expanded via an order-to-disorder transition. Thus, the post-gelation shrinkage of the LC epoxy resin-based nanocomposite is greatly reduced, ∼50.6% less than in commercialized methacrylate resin-based composites. This LC epoxy nanocomposite demonstrates good physical and chemical properties and good biocompatibility

Synthesis and Supramolecular Chemistry of Novel Liquid Crystalline Crown Ether-Substituted Phthalocyanines : Toward Molecular Wires and Molecular Ionoelectronics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nostrum, Cornelus F. van; Picken, Stephen J.; Schouten, Arend-Jan; Nolte, Roeland J.M.

1995-01-01

The synthesis of the metal-free and the dihydroxysilicon derivatives of tetrakis[4’,5’-bis(decoxy)benzo-18-crown-6]phthalocyanine is described. The metal-free phthalocyanine is liquid crystalline and exhibits a crystalline phase to mesophase transition at 148 °C. The structures of the crystalline

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of liquid crystalline fluids: active gels and blue phases

OpenAIRE

Cates, M. E.; Henrich, O.; Marenduzzo, D.; Stratford, K.

2010-01-01

Lattice Boltzmann simulations have become a method of choice to solve the hydrodynamic equations of motion of a number of complex fluids. Here we review some recent applications of lattice Boltzmann to study the hydrodynamics of liquid crystalline materials. In particular, we focus on the study of (a) the exotic blue phases of cholesteric liquid crystals, and (b) active gels - a model system for actin plus myosin solutions or bacterial suspensions. In both cases lattice Boltzmann studies have...

Light-induced circular birefringence in cyanoazobenzene side-chain liquid-crystalline polyester films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naydenova, I; Nikolova, L; Ramanujam, P.S.

1999-01-01

We report the inducement of large circular birefringence (optical activity) in films of a cyanoazobenzene side-chain liquid-crystalline polyester on illumination with circularly polarized light. The polyester has no chiral groups and is initially isotropic. The induced optical rotation is up to 5...

The effect of calcining temperature on the properties of 0-3 piezoelectric composites of PZT and a liquid crystalline thermosetting polymer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ende, D.A. van den; Groen, W.A.; Zwaag, S. van der

2011-01-01

We report on the optimisation of a recently developed high performance 0-3 piezoelectric composite comprising of the piezoelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) powder and a liquid crystalline thermosetting matrix polymer (LCT). The matrix polymer is a liquid crystalline polymer comprising of an

Quantitative Analysis of Matrine in Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles by HPLC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinsheng Peng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed to quantitatively determine matrine in liquid crystal nanoparticles. The chromatographic method is carried out using an isocratic system. The mobile phase was composed of methanol-PBS(pH6.8-triethylamine (50 : 50 : 0.1% with a flow rate of 1 mL/min with SPD-20A UV/vis detector and the detection wavelength was at 220 nm. The linearity of matrine is in the range of 1.6 to 200.0 μg/mL. The regression equation is y=10706x-2959 (R2=1.0. The average recovery is 101.7%; RSD=2.22%  (n=9. This method provides a simple and accurate strategy to determine matrine in liquid crystalline nanoparticle.

New theories for smectic and nematic liquid crystalline polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowell, F.

1987-01-01

A summary of results from new statistical-physics theories for both backbone and side-chain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) and for mixtures with LCPs is presented. Thermodynamic and molecular ordering properties (including odd-even effects) have been calculated as a function of pressure, density, temperature, and molecule chemical structures (including degree of polymerization and the following properties of the chemical structures of the repeat units: lengths and shapes, intra-chain rotation energies, dipole moments, site-site polarizabilities and Lennard-Jones potentials, etc.) in nematic and multiple smectic-A LC phases and in the isotropic liquid phase. These theories can also be applied to combined LCPs. Since these theories have no ad hoc or arbitrarily adjustable parameters, these theories have been used to design new LCPs and new solvents and to predict and explain properties

Giant enhancement in the ferroelectric field effect using a polarization gradient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, Zongquan [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Islam, Mohammad A. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Department of Physics, State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, New York 13126 (United States); Spanier, Jonathan E., E-mail: spanier@drexel.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States)

2015-10-19

Coupling of switchable ferroelectric polarization with the carrier transport in an adjacent semiconductor enables a robust, non-volatile manipulation of the conductance in a host of low-dimensional systems, including the two-dimensional electron liquid that forms at the LaAlO{sub 3} (LAO)-SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) interface. However, strength of the gate-channel coupling is relatively weak, limited in part by the electrostatic potential difference across a ferroelectric gate. Here, through application of phenomenological Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory and self-consistent Poisson-Schrödinger model calculations, we show how compositional grading of PbZr{sub 1−x}Ti{sub x}O{sub 3} ferroelectric gates enables a more than twenty-five-fold increase in the LAO/STO channel conductance on/off ratios. Incorporation of polarization gradients in ferroelectric gates can enable breakthrough performance of ferroelectric non-volatile memories.

Liquid crystallinity in flexible and rigid rod polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickett, Galen T.; Schweizer, Kenneth S.

2000-01-01

We apply an anisotropic version of the polymer reference interaction site model (PRISM) integral equation description of flexible polymers to analyze athermal liquid crystallinity. The polymers are characterized by a statistical segment length, σ o , and by a physical hard-core thickness, d, that prevents the overlap of monomers on different chains. At small segment densities, ρ, the microscopic length scale d is irrelevant (as it must be in the universal semidilute regime), but becomes important in concentrated solutions and melts. Under the influence of the excluded volume interactions alone, the chains undergo a lyotropic, first-order isotropic-nematic transition at a concentration dependent upon the dimensionless ''aspect ratio,'' σ o /d. The transition becomes weaker as d→0, becoming second order, as has been previously shown. We extend the theory to describe the transition of rigid, thin rods, and discuss the evolution of the anisotropic liquid structure in the ordered phase. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Enzymatic biofuel cell based on electrodes modified with lipid liquid-crystalline cubic phases

Science.gov (United States)

Nazaruk, Ewa; Smoliński, Sławomir; Swatko-Ossor, Marta; Ginalska, Grażyna; Fiedurek, Jan; Rogalski, Jerzy; Bilewicz, Renata

Two glassy carbon electrodes modified with enzymes embedded in lyotropic liquid-crystalline cubic phase were used for the biofuel cell construction. The monoolein liquid-crystalline film allowed to avoid separators in the biofuel cell. Glucose and oxygen as fuels, and glucose oxidase and laccase as anode and cathode biocatalysts, respectively were used. The biofuel cell parameters were examined in McIlvaine buffer, pH 7 solution containing 15 mM of glucose and saturated with dioxygen. A series of mediators were tested taking into account their formal potentials, stability in the cubic phase and efficiency of mediation. Most stable was the biofuel cell based on tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and 2,2‧-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) as anode and cathode mediators, respectively. The open-circuit voltage was equal to 450 ± 40 mV. The power densities and current densities were measured for all the systems studied.

Solvent-free directed patterning of a highly ordered liquid crystalline organic semiconductor via template-assisted self-assembly for organic transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Aryeon; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Kim, Jinsoo; Won, Jong Chan; Yi, Mi Hye; Kim, Hanim; Yoon, Dong Ki; Shin, Tae Joo; Lee, Myong-Hoon; Ka, Jae-Won; Kim, Yun Ho

2013-11-20

Highly ordered organic semiconductor micropatterns of the liquid-crystalline small molecule 2,7-didecylbenzothienobenzothiophene (C10 -BTBT) are fabricated using a simple method based on template-assisted self-assembly (TASA). The liquid crystallinity of C10 -BTBT allows solvent-free fabrication of high-performance printed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis, characterization and photoinduction of optical anisotropy in liquid crystalline diblock azo-copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Forcen, P.; Oriol, L.; Sanchez, S.; Alcala, R.; Hvilsted, S.; Jankova, K.; Loos, J.

2007-01-01

Diblock copolymers with polymethyl methacrylate and side chain liquid crystalline (LC) azopolymethacrylate blocks were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The azobenzene content in these copolymers ranges from 52 to 7 wt %. For an azo content down to 20% they exhibit a LC

Novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nanogels for enhanced cutaneous targeting of terconazole: development, in vitro and in vivo studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elnaggar YSR

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Yosra SR Elnaggar,1,2 Sara M Talaat,1 Mohammed Bahey-El-Din,3 Ossama Y Abdallah1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, 2Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria, 3Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt Abstract: Terconazole (Tr is the first marketed, most active triazole for vaginal candidiasis. Owing to poor skin permeation and challenging physicochemical properties, Tr was not employed for the treatment of cutaneous candidiasis. This is the first study to investigate the relevance of novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nano-organogels (LCGs to improve physicochemical characteristics of Tr in order to enable its dermal application in skin candidiasis. Ternary phase diagram was constructed using lecithin/capryol 90/water to identify the region of liquid crystalline organogel. The selected organogel possessed promising physicochemical characteristics based on particle size, rheological behavior, pH, loading efficiency, and in vitro antifungal activity. Microstructure of the selected organogel was confirmed by polarized light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ex vivo and in vivo skin permeation studies revealed a significant 4.7- and 2.7-fold increase in the permeability of Tr-loaded LCG when compared to conventional hydrogel. Moreover, acute irritation study indicated safety and compatibility of liquid crystalline organogel to the skin. The in vivo antifungal activity confirmed the superiority of LCG over the conventional hydrogel for the eradication of Candida infection. Overall, lecithin-based liquid crystalline organogel confirmed its potential as an interesting dermal nanocarrier for skin targeting purpose. Keywords: terconazole, liquid crystalline, organogel, skin targeting, skin mycosis

Resonant x-ray scattering study of the antiferroelectric and ferrielectric phases in liquid crystal devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matkin, L. S.; Watson, S. J.; Gleeson, H. F.; Pindak, R.; Pitney, J.; Johnson, P. M.; Huang, C. C.; Barois, P.; Levelut, A.-M.; Srajer, G.

2001-01-01

Resonant x-ray scattering has been used to investigate the interlayer ordering of the antiferroelectric and ferrielectric smectic C * subphases in a device geometry. The liquid crystalline materials studied contain a selenium atom and the experiments were carried out at the selenium K edge allowing x-ray transmission through glass. The resonant scattering peaks associated with the antiferroelectric phase were observed in two devices containing different materials. It was observed that the electric-field-induced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric transition coincides with the chevron to bookshelf transition in one of the devices. Observation of the splitting of the antiferroelectric resonant peaks as a function of applied field also confirmed that no helical unwinding occurs at fields lower than the chevron to bookshelf threshold. Resonant features associated with the four-layer ferrielectric liquid crystal phase were observed in a device geometry. Monitoring the electric field dependence of these ferrielectric resonant peaks showed that the chevron to bookshelf transition occurs at a lower applied field than the ferrielectric to ferroelectric switching transition

Novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nanogels for enhanced cutaneous targeting of terconazole: development, in vitro and in vivo studies

Science.gov (United States)

Elnaggar, Yosra SR; Talaat, Sara M; Bahey-El-Din, Mohammed; Abdallah, Ossama Y

2016-01-01

Terconazole (Tr) is the first marketed, most active triazole for vaginal candidiasis. Owing to poor skin permeation and challenging physicochemical properties, Tr was not employed for the treatment of cutaneous candidiasis. This is the first study to investigate the relevance of novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nano-organogels (LCGs) to improve physicochemical characteristics of Tr in order to enable its dermal application in skin candidiasis. Ternary phase diagram was constructed using lecithin/capryol 90/water to identify the region of liquid crystalline organogel. The selected organogel possessed promising physicochemical characteristics based on particle size, rheological behavior, pH, loading efficiency, and in vitro antifungal activity. Microstructure of the selected organogel was confirmed by polarized light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ex vivo and in vivo skin permeation studies revealed a significant 4.7- and 2.7-fold increase in the permeability of Tr-loaded LCG when compared to conventional hydrogel. Moreover, acute irritation study indicated safety and compatibility of liquid crystalline organogel to the skin. The in vivo antifungal activity confirmed the superiority of LCG over the conventional hydrogel for the eradication of Candida infection. Overall, lecithin-based liquid crystalline organogel confirmed its potential as an interesting dermal nanocarrier for skin targeting purpose. PMID:27822033

Novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nanogels for enhanced cutaneous targeting of terconazole: development, in vitro and in vivo studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Elnaggar, Yosra Sr; Talaat, Sara M; Bahey-El-Din, Mohammed; Abdallah, Ossama Y

Terconazole (Tr) is the first marketed, most active triazole for vaginal candidiasis. Owing to poor skin permeation and challenging physicochemical properties, Tr was not employed for the treatment of cutaneous candidiasis. This is the first study to investigate the relevance of novel lecithin-integrated liquid crystalline nano-organogels (LCGs) to improve physicochemical characteristics of Tr in order to enable its dermal application in skin candidiasis. Ternary phase diagram was constructed using lecithin/capryol 90/water to identify the region of liquid crystalline organogel. The selected organogel possessed promising physicochemical characteristics based on particle size, rheological behavior, pH, loading efficiency, and in vitro antifungal activity. Microstructure of the selected organogel was confirmed by polarized light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ex vivo and in vivo skin permeation studies revealed a significant 4.7- and 2.7-fold increase in the permeability of Tr-loaded LCG when compared to conventional hydrogel. Moreover, acute irritation study indicated safety and compatibility of liquid crystalline organogel to the skin. The in vivo antifungal activity confirmed the superiority of LCG over the conventional hydrogel for the eradication of Candida infection. Overall, lecithin-based liquid crystalline organogel confirmed its potential as an interesting dermal nanocarrier for skin targeting purpose.

Functionalized Nanoporous Polymer Membranes with Well-Defined Pore Architectures via Lyotropic Liquid-Crystalline Monomers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gin, Douglas

1997-01-01

.... Two lyotropic liquid-crystalline monomer platforms have been synthesized. The interchannel separations in the polymerizable materials can be varied in the 30-40 A range by the choice of counterion on the ionic headgroup of the monomers...

Emergence of liquid crystalline order in the lowest Landau level of a quantum Hall system with internal anisotropy

Science.gov (United States)

Ciftja, Orion

2018-05-01

It has now become evident that interplay between internal anisotropy parameters (such as electron mass anisotropy and/or anisotropic coupling of electrons to the substrate) and electron-electron correlation effects can create a rich variety of possibilities especially in quantum Hall systems. The electron mass anisotropy or material substrate effects (for example, the piezoelectric effect in GaAs) can lead to an effective anisotropic interaction potential between electrons. For lack of knowledge of realistic ab-initio potentials that may describe such effects, we adopt a phenomenological approach and assume that an anisotropic Coulomb interaction potential mimics the internal anisotropy of the system. In this work we investigate the emergence of liquid crystalline order at filling factor ν = 1/6 of the lowest Landau level, a state very close to the point where a transition from the liquid to the Wigner solid happens. We consider small finite systems of electrons interacting with an anisotropic Coulomb interaction potential and study the energy stability of an anisotropic liquid crystalline state relative to its isotropic Fermi-liquid counterpart. Quantum Monte Carlo simulation results in disk geometry show stabilization of liquid crystalline order driven by an anisotropic Coulomb interaction potential at all values of the interaction anisotropy parameter studied.

Thermoresponsive Membrane Based on Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Cholesteryl - (L-lacticacidn System: Study of Its Drug Permeability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massoumeh Bagheri

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The rapidly increasing interest in functional materials with reversibly switchable physico- chemical properties has led to significant work on the development of stimuli responsive membranes. Thermotropic liquid crystals with their exceptional properties have potentials for drug-delivery applications. Thermoresponsive liquid-crystal-embedded membranes were investigated for the purpose of developing the drug delivery systems with thermal stimuli response. Drug release occurs at temperatures above the phase transition temperature of thermotropic liquid crystals. Therefore, they can control drug release in response to small temperature changes. In this work, the biocompatible and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer cholesteryl-(L-lactic acidn ,CLAn (n=30, was synthesized with accurate control of molecular weight via ring opening polymerization method. Polymerization of L-lactide was carried out in the presence of cholesterol as an initiator and catalytic amount of tin (II octoate (Sn(Oct2 at 150°C in 5 h. The number-average degree of polymerization of CLA 30 was obtained from 1H NMR spectroscopy. The phase transition behavior of liquid crystalline CLA30 was established by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. The resulting liquid crystalline CLA30 was subsequently utilized to prepare CLA30 -embedded cellulose nitrate membrane by adsorption method. The CLA30-embedded cellulose nitrate membrane was used by an in-vitro drug penetration studies. Acetaminophen was used as a model drug. The permeation study was carried out at different temperatures around glass transition temperature of polymer CLA30 (37, 45 and 40°C, respectively. The results show that the CLA30 -embedded cellulose nitrate membranes exhibit thermo-responsive sensitivity with controlled drug permeation.

Highly tilted liquid crystalline materials possessing a direct phase transition from antiferroelectric to isotropic phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milewska, K.; Drzewiński, W. [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Czerwiński, M., E-mail: mczerwinski@wat.edu.pl [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Dąbrowski, R. [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Piecek, W. [Institute of Applied Physics, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland)

2016-03-01

Pure compounds and multicomponent mixtures with a broad temperature range of high tilted liquid crystalline antiferroelectric phase and a direct phase transition from antiferroelectric to isotropic phase, were obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms these kinds of materials form a high tilted anticlinic phase, with a fixed layer spacing and very weak dependency upon temperature, after the transition from the isotropic phase. Due to this, not only pure orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals but also those with a moderate tilt should generate a good dark state. Furthermore, due to the increased potential for forming anticlinic forces, such materials could minimize a commonly observed asymmetry of a rise and fall switching times at a surface stabilized geometry. - Highlights: • The new class of liquid crystalline materials with the direct SmC{sub A}*. • Iso phase transition were obtained. • Materials possess the layer spacing fixed and very weak dependent upon temperature. • Smectic layers without shrinkage are observed. • A good dark state can be generate in SSAFLC.

From Cellulosic Based Liquid Crystalline Sheared Solutions to 1D and 2D Soft Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Helena Godinho

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Liquid crystalline cellulosic-based solutions described by distinctive properties are at the origin of different kinds of multifunctional materials with unique characteristics. These solutions can form chiral nematic phases at rest, with tuneable photonic behavior, and exhibit a complex behavior associated with the onset of a network of director field defects under shear. Techniques, such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR, Rheology coupled with NMR (Rheo-NMR, rheology, optical methods, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI, Wide Angle X-rays Scattering (WAXS, were extensively used to enlighten the liquid crystalline characteristics of these cellulosic solutions. Cellulosic films produced by shear casting and fibers by electrospinning, from these liquid crystalline solutions, have regained wider attention due to recognition of their innovative properties associated to their biocompatibility. Electrospun membranes composed by helical and spiral shape fibers allow the achievement of large surface areas, leading to the improvement of the performance of this kind of systems. The moisture response, light modulated, wettability and the capability of orienting protein and cellulose crystals, opened a wide range of new applications to the shear casted films. Characterization by NMR, X-rays, tensile tests, AFM, and optical methods allowed detailed characterization of those soft cellulosic materials. In this work, special attention will be given to recent developments, including, among others, a moisture driven cellulosic motor and electro-optical devices.

Fabrication of ferroelectric polymer nanostructures on flexible substrates by soft-mold reverse nanoimprint lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Jingfeng; Lu, Haidong; Gruverman, Alexei; Ducharme, Stephen; Li, Shumin; Tan, Li

2016-01-01

Conventional nanoimprint lithography with expensive rigid molds is used to pattern ferroelectric polymer nanostructures on hard substrate for use in, e.g., organic electronics. The main innovation here is the use of inexpensive soft polycarbonate molds derived from recordable DVDs and reverse nanoimprint lithography at low pressure, which is compatible with flexible substrates. This approach was implemented to produce regular stripe arrays with a spacing of 700 nm from vinylidene fluoride co trifluoroethylene ferroelectric copolymer on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates. The nanostructures have very stable and switchable piezoelectric response and good crystallinity, and are highly promising for use in organic electronics enhanced or complemented by the unique properties of the ferroelectric polymer, such as bistable polarization, piezoelectric response, pyroelectric response, or electrocaloric function. The soft-mold reverse nanoimprint lithography also leaves little or no residual layer, affording good isolation of the nanostructures. This approach reduces the cost and facilitates large-area, high-throughput production of isolated functional polymer nanostructures on flexible substrates for the increasing application of ferroelectric polymers in flexible electronics. (paper)

Fabrication of ferroelectric polymer nanostructures on flexible substrates by soft-mold reverse nanoimprint lithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jingfeng; Lu, Haidong; Li, Shumin; Tan, Li; Gruverman, Alexei; Ducharme, Stephen

2016-01-08

Conventional nanoimprint lithography with expensive rigid molds is used to pattern ferroelectric polymer nanostructures on hard substrate for use in, e.g., organic electronics. The main innovation here is the use of inexpensive soft polycarbonate molds derived from recordable DVDs and reverse nanoimprint lithography at low pressure, which is compatible with flexible substrates. This approach was implemented to produce regular stripe arrays with a spacing of 700 nm from vinylidene fluoride co trifluoroethylene ferroelectric copolymer on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates. The nanostructures have very stable and switchable piezoelectric response and good crystallinity, and are highly promising for use in organic electronics enhanced or complemented by the unique properties of the ferroelectric polymer, such as bistable polarization, piezoelectric response, pyroelectric response, or electrocaloric function. The soft-mold reverse nanoimprint lithography also leaves little or no residual layer, affording good isolation of the nanostructures. This approach reduces the cost and facilitates large-area, high-throughput production of isolated functional polymer nanostructures on flexible substrates for the increasing application of ferroelectric polymers in flexible electronics.

Room-temperature saturated ferroelectric polarization in BiFeO3 ceramics synthesized by rapid liquid phase sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.P.; Zhou, L.; Zhang, M.F.; Chen, X.Y.; Liu, J.-M.; Liu, Z.G.

2004-01-01

Single-phased ferroelectromagnet BiFeO 3 ceramics with high resistivity were synthesized by a rapid liquid phase sintering technique. Saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed at room temperature in the ceramics sintered at 880 deg. C for 450 s. The spontaneous polarization, remnant polarization, and the coercive field are 8.9 μC/cm 2 , 4.0 μC/cm 2 , and 39 kV/cm, respectively, under an applied field of 100 kV/cm. It is proposed that the formation of Fe 2+ and an oxygen deficiency leading to the higher leakage can be greatly suppressed by the very high heating rate, short sintering period, and liquid phase sintering technique. The latter was also found effective in increasing the density of the ceramics. The sintering technique developed in this work is expected to be useful in synthesizing other ceramics from multivalent or volatile starting materials

Liquid crystalline systems for transdermal delivery of celecoxib: in vitro drug release and skin permeation studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Estracanholli, Eder André; Praça, Fabíola Silva Garcia; Cintra, Ana Beatriz; Pierre, Maria Bernadete Riemma; Lara, Marilisa Guimarães

2014-12-01

Liquid crystalline systems of monoolein/water could be a promising approach for the delivery of celecoxib (CXB) to the skin because these systems can sustain drug release, improve drug penetration into the skin layers and minimize side effects. This study evaluated the potential of these systems for the delivery of CXB into the skin based on in vitro drug release and skin permeation studies. The amount of CXB that permeated into and/or was retained in the skin was assayed using an HPLC method. Polarizing light microscopy studies showed that liquid crystalline systems of monoolein/water were formed in the presence of CXB, without any changes in the mesophases. The liquid crystalline systems decreased drug release when compared to control solution. Drug release was independent of the initial water content of the systems and CXB was released from cubic phase systems, irrespective of the initial water content. The systems released the CXB following zero-order release kinetics. In vitro drug permeation studies showed that cubic phase systems allowed drug permeation and retention in the skin layers. Cubic phase systems of monoolein/water may be promising vehicles for the delivery of CXB in/through the skin because it improved CXB skin permeation compared with the control solution.

Liquid crystalline composites toward organic photovoltaic application (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Yo; Sosa-Vargas, Lydia; Shin, Woong; Higuchi, Yumi; Itani, Hiromichi; Kawano, Koki; Dao, Quang Duy; Fujii, Akihiko; Ozaki, Masanori

2017-02-01

Liquid crystalline semiconductor is an interesting category of organic electronic materials and also has been extensively studied in terms of "Printed Electronics". For the wider diversity in research toward new applications, one can consider how to use a combination of miscibility and phase separation in liquid crystals. Here we report discotic liquid crystals in making a composite of which structural order is controlled in nano-scale toward photovoltaic applications. Discotic columnar LCs were studied on their resultant molecular order and carrier transport properties. Liquid crystals of phthalocyanine and its analogues which exhibit columnar mesomorphism with high carrier mobility (10-1 cm2/Vs) were examined with making binary phase diagrams and the correlation to carrier transport properties by TOF measurements was discussed. The shape-analogues in chemical structure shows a good miscibility even for the different lattice-type of columnar arrangement and the carrier mobility is mostly decrease except for a case of combination with a metal-free and the metal complex. For the mixtures with non-mesogenic C60 derivatives, one sees a phase-separated structure due to its immiscibility, though the columnar order is remained in a range of component ratio.Especially, in a range of the ratio, it was observed the phase separated C60 derivatives are fused into the matrix of columnar bundles, indicating C60 derivatives could be diffused in columnar arrays in molecular level.

The structure of new germanates, gallates, borates and silicates with laser, piezo, ferroelectric and ion conducting properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belokonev, E.L.

1994-01-01

The results of structure investigation of more than 50 new crystalline germanates, gallates, borogermanates, borates, and silicates with laser, piezo, ferroelectric, and ion-conducting properties are described. The structure - properties relationship is examined. 71 refs.; 24 figs.; 10 tabs

Two-dimensional ferroelectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blinov, L M; Fridkin, Vladimir M; Palto, Sergei P [A.V. Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federaion (Russian Federation); Bune, A V; Dowben, P A; Ducharme, Stephen [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Behlen Laboratory of Physics, Center for Materials Research and Analysis, University of Nebraska-Linkoln, Linkoln, NE (United States)

2000-03-31

The investigation of the finite-size effect in ferroelectric crystals and films has been limited by the experimental conditions. The smallest demonstrated ferroelectric crystals had a diameter of {approx}200 A and the thinnest ferroelectric films were {approx}200 A thick, macroscopic sizes on an atomic scale. Langmuir-Blodgett deposition of films one monolayer at a time has produced high quality ferroelectric films as thin as 10 A, made from polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers. These ultrathin films permitted the ultimate investigation of finite-size effects on the atomic thickness scale. Langmuir-Blodgett films also revealed the fundamental two-dimensional character of ferroelectricity in these materials by demonstrating that there is no so-called critical thickness; films as thin as two monolayers (1 nm) are ferroelectric, with a transition temperature near that of the bulk material. The films exhibit all the main properties of ferroelectricity with a first-order ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition: polarization hysteresis (switching); the jump in spontaneous polarization at the phase transition temperature; thermal hysteresis in the polarization; the increase in the transition temperature with applied field; double hysteresis above the phase transition temperature; and the existence of the ferroelectric critical point. The films also exhibit a new phase transition associated with the two-dimensional layers. (reviews of topical problems)

Development and evaluation of exemestane-loaded lyotropic liquid crystalline gel formulations

OpenAIRE

Musa, Muhammad Nuh; David, Sheba Rani; Zulkipli, Ihsan Nazurah; Mahadi, Abdul Hanif; Chakravarthi, Srikumar; Rajabalaya, Rajan

2017-01-01

Introduction: The use of liquid crystalline (LC) gel formulations for drug delivery has considerably improved the current delivery methods in terms of bioavailability and efficacy. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate LC gel formulations to deliver the anti-cancer drug exemestane through transdermal route. Methods: Two LC gel formulations were prepared by phase separation coacervation method using glyceryl monooleate (GMO), Tween 80 and Pluronic® F127 (F127). The formulations...

Effect of alkyl chains length on properties of ferroelectric liquid crystals with the keto group attached to the molecule core

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubnov, Alexej; Novotná, Vladimíra; Pociecha, D.; Hamplová, Věra; Kašpar, Miroslav

2012-01-01

Roč. 85, č. 10 (2012), s. 849-860 ISSN 0141-1594 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP204/11/0723 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) M100101211; AV ČR(CZ) M100101204 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : ferroelectric liquid crystal * keto group * lactic acid derivative * spontaneous quantities * SAXS * helix pitch Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.863, year: 2012 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/01411594.asp

Development of “fragility” in relaxor ferroelectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yi-zhen, E-mail: wangyizhen80@gmail.com [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158 (China); Bioengineering Program and Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Department, Lehigh University, 19 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 (United States); State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Chen, Lan; Xiong, Xiao-min; Zhang, Jin-xiu [State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Wang, Hai-yan [State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Guangzhou Institute of Measurement and Testing Technology, Guangzhou 510663 (China); Frank Zhang, X. [Bioengineering Program and Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Department, Lehigh University, 19 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 (United States); Fu, Jun [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158 (China)

2014-02-07

Relaxor ferroelectrics (RFs), a special class of the disordered crystals or ceramics, exhibit a pronounced slowdown of their dynamics upon cooling as glass-forming liquids, called the “Super-Arrhenius (SA)” relaxation. Despite great progress in glass-forming liquids, the “fragility” property of the SA relaxation in RFs remains unclear so far. By measuring the temperature-dependent dielectric relaxation in the typical relaxor Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-x%PbTiO{sub 3} (PMN − x%PT) with 0 ≤ x ≤ 20.0, we in-depth study the “fragility” properties of the SA relaxation in PMN − x%PT. Such fascinating issues as the mechanism of the “fragility” at an atomic scale, the roles of the systematic configurational entropy change and interaction among relaxing units (RUs, including polar nanoregions and free dipoles) and the relation between “fragility” and ferroelectric order are investigated. Our results show that both the “fragility” of the temperature-dependent SA relaxation and ferroelectric order in the PMN − x%PT systems investigated arise thermodynamically from the configurational-entropy loss due to the attractive interaction among RUs, and develops as a power law, possibly diverging at the finite critical temperature T{sub c}. A reasonable physical scenario, based on our “configurational-entropy-loss” theory and Nowick's “stress-induced-ordering” theory, was proposed.

Development of “fragility” in relaxor ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yi-zhen; Chen, Lan; Xiong, Xiao-min; Zhang, Jin-xiu; Wang, Hai-yan; Frank Zhang, X.; Fu, Jun

2014-01-01

Relaxor ferroelectrics (RFs), a special class of the disordered crystals or ceramics, exhibit a pronounced slowdown of their dynamics upon cooling as glass-forming liquids, called the “Super-Arrhenius (SA)” relaxation. Despite great progress in glass-forming liquids, the “fragility” property of the SA relaxation in RFs remains unclear so far. By measuring the temperature-dependent dielectric relaxation in the typical relaxor Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -x%PbTiO 3 (PMN − x%PT) with 0 ≤ x ≤ 20.0, we in-depth study the “fragility” properties of the SA relaxation in PMN − x%PT. Such fascinating issues as the mechanism of the “fragility” at an atomic scale, the roles of the systematic configurational entropy change and interaction among relaxing units (RUs, including polar nanoregions and free dipoles) and the relation between “fragility” and ferroelectric order are investigated. Our results show that both the “fragility” of the temperature-dependent SA relaxation and ferroelectric order in the PMN − x%PT systems investigated arise thermodynamically from the configurational-entropy loss due to the attractive interaction among RUs, and develops as a power law, possibly diverging at the finite critical temperature T c . A reasonable physical scenario, based on our “configurational-entropy-loss” theory and Nowick's “stress-induced-ordering” theory, was proposed

Polyamine structural effects on the induction and stabilization of liquid crystalline DNA: potential applications to DNA packaging, gene therapy and polyamine therapeutics.

Science.gov (United States)

Saminathan, M; Thomas, Thresia; Shirahata, Akira; Pillai, C K S; Thomas, T J

2002-09-01

DNA undergoes condensation, conformational transitions, aggregation and resolubilization in the presence of polyamines, positively charged organic molecules present in all cells. Under carefully controlled environmental conditions, DNA can also transform to a liquid crystalline state in vitro. We undertook the present work to examine the ability of spermidine, N4-methylspermidine, spermine, N1-acetylspermine and a group of tetramine, pentamine and hexamine analogs of spermine to induce and stabilize liquid crystalline DNA. Liquid crystalline textures were identified under a polarizing microscope. In the absence of polyamines, calf thymus DNA assumed a diffused, planar cholesteric phase with entrapped bubbles when incubated on a glass slide at 37 degrees C. In the presence of spermidine and spermine, the characteristic fingerprint textures of the cholesteric phase, adopting a hexagonal order, were obtained. The helical pitch was 2.5 micro m. The final structures were dendrimeric and crystalline when DNA was treated with spermine homologs and bis(ethyl) derivatives. A cholesteric structure was observed when DNA was treated with a hexamine at 37 degrees C. This structure changed to a hexagonal dendrimer with fluidity on prolonged incubation. These data show a structural specificity effect of polyamines on liquid crystalline phase transitions of DNA and suggest a possible physiological function of natural polyamines.

Ferroelectric Nematic and Ferrielectric Smectic Mesophases in an Achiral Bent-Core Azo Compound.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Jitendra; Prasad, Veena

2018-03-22

Here, we report the observation of ferroelectric nematic and ferrielectric smectic mesophases in an achiral bent-core azo compound consisting of nonsymmetrical molecules with a lateral fluoro substitution on one of the wings. These mesophases are enantiotropic in nature with fairly low transition temperatures and wide mesophase ranges. The liquid crystalline properties of this compound are investigated using polarizing optical microscope, differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffraction, and electro-optical studies. As revealed by X-ray diffraction measurements, the nematic mesophase is composed of skewed cybotactic clusters and, in the smectic mesophase, the molecules are tilted with respect to the layer normal. The polar order in these mesophases was confirmed by the electro-optical switching and dielectric spectroscopy measurements. The dielectric study in the nematic mesophase shows a single relaxation process at low frequency ( f interest is the fact that the smectic phase exhibits a field induced ferrielectric state, which can be exploited for designing of the potential optical devices due to multistate switching.

Effect of smectic A temperature width on the soft mode in ferroelectric liquid crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, A.; Kaur, S.; Prakash, J.; Sreenivas, K.; Bawa, S. S.; Biradar, A. M.

2008-08-01

The behavior of soft mode range with respect to the temperature width of smectic A (Sm A) phase has been studied in four different ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) materials in the frequency range 10Hz-10MHz. The studies have been carried out in a planarly well aligned cells at different temperatures and different bias fields in Sm C* and Sm A phases. Dielectric studies of these FLCs near Sm C*-Sm A phase transition show that the temperature range of soft mode relaxation frequency phenomenon varies with the temperature width of Sm A phase. The dependence of tilt angle on temperature shows the nature of the order of transition at Sm C*-Sm A phase. The coupling between order parameters of Sm C* and Sm A phase influences the soft mode and phase transition in Sm C* and Sm A phases.

Intestinal mucus and juice glycoproteins have a liquid crystalline structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denisova, E.A.; Lazarev, P.I.; Vazina, A.A.; Zheleznaya, L.A.

1985-01-01

X-ray diffraction patterns have been obtained from the following components of canine gastrointestinal tract: (1) native small intestine mucus layer; (2) the precipitate of the flocks formed in the duodenal juice with decreasing pH; (3) concentrated solutions of glycoproteins isolated from the duodenal juice. The X-ray patterns consist of a large number of sharp reflections of spacings between about 100 and 4 A. Some reflections are common for all components studied. All the patterns are interpreted as arising from the glycoprotein molecules ordered into a liquid crystalline structure. (author)

Induced liquid-crystalline ordering in solutions of stiff and flexible amphiphilic macromolecules: Effect of mixture composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glagolev, Mikhail K.; Vasilevskaya, Valentina V.; Khokhlov, Alexei R.

2016-01-01

Impact of mixture composition on self-organization in concentrated solutions of stiff helical and flexible macromolecules was studied by means of molecular dynamics simulation. The macromolecules were composed of identical amphiphilic monomer units but a fraction f of macromolecules had stiff helical backbones and the remaining chains were flexible. In poor solvents the compacted flexible macromolecules coexist with bundles or filament clusters from few intertwined stiff helical macromolecules. The increase of relative content f of helical macromolecules leads to increase of the length of helical clusters, to alignment of clusters with each other, and then to liquid-crystalline-like ordering along a single direction. The formation of filament clusters causes segregation of helical and flexible macromolecules and the alignment of the filaments induces effective liquid-like ordering of flexible macromolecules. A visual analysis and calculation of order parameter relaying the anisotropy of diffraction allow concluding that transition from disordered to liquid-crystalline state proceeds sharply at relatively low content of stiff components.

Synthesis of Isothianaphthene (ITN and 3,4-Ethylenedioxy-Thiophene (EDOT-Based Low-Bandgap Liquid Crystalline Conjugated Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiromasa Goto

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Copolymers, consisting of isothianaphthene and phenylene derivatives with liquid crystal groups, were synthesized via Migita-Kosugi-Stille polycondensation reaction. IR absorption, UV-vis optical absorption, and PL spectroscopy measurements were carried out. Thermotropic liquid crystallinity of the polymers with bandgap of ~2.5 eV was confirmed.

Polarized Emission of Wholly Aromatic Bio-Based Copolyesters of a Liquid Crystalline Nature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daisaku Kaneko

2011-05-01

Full Text Available A novel thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers poly{3-benzylidene amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-BAHBA-co-trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (4HCA: trans-coumaric acid} (Poly(3,4-BAHBA-co-4HCA, was synthesized by the thermal polycondensation of 4HCA and 3,4-BAHBA, which was synthesized by a reaction of 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-AHBA with benzaldehyde. When the 4HCA compositions of Poly(3,4-BAHBA-co-4HCAs were above 55 mol%, the copolymers showed a nematic, liquid crystalline phase. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC measurements of the copolymers showed a high glass transition temperature of more than 100 °C, sufficient for use in engineering plastics. Furthermore, the copolymers showed photoluminescence in an N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP solution under ultraviolet (UV light with a wavelength of 365 nm. Oriented film of Poly(3,4-BAHBA-co-4HCA with a 4HCA composition of 75 mol% emitted polarized light, which was confirmed by fluorescent spectroscopy equipped with parallel and crossed polarizers.

Structural aspects of fish skin collagen which forms ordered arrays via liquid crystalline states.

Science.gov (United States)

Giraud-Guille, M M; Besseau, L; Chopin, C; Durand, P; Herbage, D

2000-05-01

The ability of acid-soluble type I collagen extracts from Soleidae flat fish to form ordered arrays in condensed phases has been compared with data for calf skin collagen. Liquid crystalline assemblies in vitro are optimized by preliminary treatment of the molecular population with ultrasounds. This treatment requires the stability of the fish collagen triple helicity to be controlled by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry and the effect of sonication to be evaluated by viscosity measurements and gel electrophoresis. The collagen solution in concentrations of at least 40 mg ml(-1) showed in polarized light microscopy birefringent patterns typical of precholesteric phases indicating long-range order within the fluid collagen phase. Ultrastructural data, obtained after stabilization of the liquid crystalline collagen into a gelated matrix, showed that neutralized acid-soluble fish collagen forms cross-striated fibrils, typical of type I collagen, following sine wave-like undulations in precholesteric domains. These ordered geometries, approximating in vivo situations, give interesting mechanical properties to the material.

Appearance of ferroelectricity by suppressing superconductivity in nanoparticle dispersed glassy precursor for high Tc superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, Soma; Chaudhuri, B.K.; Sakata, H.

2003-01-01

The multicomponent Bi 1.8 Pb 0.3 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 2.8 K 0.2 O δ (FG) glass is found to show ferroelectric (FE) transition around T fc = 530K. Microstructural (TEM) studies of these glasses indicated the presence of nano-crystalline particles/ clusters (∼10-30 nm size). In this glass-nanoparticle composite (GNC), presence of ferroelectric nano-particles/ islands is considered to be responsible for the FE behavior. The K-free FG type glasses showing no dielectric anomaly (or ferroelectricity) are precursors of high T c superconductors which become superconductors (T c ∼80K) by annealing around 840 degC. The K-doped (FG) GNC is, however, not superconducting in the corresponding annealed phase which indicates suppression of superconductivity due to the presence of K or by the appearance of ferroelectricity. Transport and dielectric properties of both K doped and undoped GNC have been studied and they are found to be semiconducting and follow non-adiabatic small polaron hopping conduction mechanism. (author)

Nanoscale Ferroelectric Switchable Polarization and Leakage Current Behavior in (Ba0.50Sr0.50(Ti0.80Sn0.20O3 Thin Films Prepared Using Chemical Solution Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkata Sreenivas Puli

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nanoscale switchable ferroelectric (Ba0.50Sr0.50(Ti0.80Sn0.20O3-BSTS polycrystalline thin films with a perovskite structure were prepared on Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si substrate by chemical solution deposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD spectra indicate that a cubic perovskite crystalline structure and Raman spectra revealed that a tetragonal perovskite crystalline structure is present in the thin films. Sr2+ and Sn4+ cosubstituted film exhibited the lowest leakage current density. Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM technique has been employed to acquire out-of-plane (OPP piezoresponse images and local piezoelectric hysteresis loop in polycrystalline BSTS films. PFM phase and amplitude images reveal nanoscale ferroelectric switching behavior at room temperature. Square patterns with dark and bright contrasts were written by local poling and reversible nature of the piezoresponse behavior was established. Local piezoelectric butterfly amplitude and phase hysteresis loops display ferroelectric nature at nanoscale level. The significance of this paper is to present ferroelectric/piezoelectric nature in present BSTS films at nanoscale level and corroborating ferroelectric behavior by utilizing Raman spectroscopy. Thus, further optimizing physical and electrical properties, BSTS films might be useful for practical applications which include nonvolatile ferroelectric memories, data-storage media, piezoelectric actuators, and electric energy storage capacitors.

Liquid crystalline tactoids: ordered structure, defective coalescence and evolution in confined geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pei-Xi; MacLachlan, Mark J.

2017-12-01

Tactoids are liquid crystalline microdroplets that spontaneously nucleate from isotropic dispersions, and transform into macroscopic anisotropic phases. These intermediate structures have been found in a range of molecular, polymeric and colloidal liquid crystals. Typically only studied by polarized optical microscopy, these ordered but easily deformable microdroplets are now emerging as interesting components for structural investigations and developing new materials. In this review, we highlight the structure, property and transformation of tactoids in different compositions, but especially cellulose nanocrystals. We have selected references that illustrate the diversity and most exciting developments in tactoid research, while capturing the historical development of this field. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue `New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'.

Computer simulation of confined and flexoelectric liquid crystalline systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barmes, F.

2003-01-01

In this Thesis, systems of confined and flexoelectric liquid crystal systems have been studied using molecular computer simulations. The aim of this work was to provide a molecular model of a bistable display cell in which switching is induced through the application of directional electric field pulses. In the first part of this Thesis, the study of confined systems of liquid crystalline particles has been addressed. Computation of the anchoring phase diagrams for three different surface interaction models showed that the hard needle wall and rod-surface potentials induce both planar and homeotropic alignment separated by a bistability region, this being stronger and wider for the rod-surface varant. The results obtained using the rod-sphere surface model, in contrast, showed that tilled surface arrangements can be induced by surface absorption mechanisms. Equivalent studies of hybrid anchored systems showed that a bend director structure can be obtained in a slab with monostable homeotropic anchoring at the top surface and bistable anchoring at the bottom, provided that the slab height is sufficiently large and the top homeotropic anchoring is not too strong. In the second part of the Thesis, the development of models for tapered (pear-shaped) mesogens has been addressed. The first model considered, the truncated Stone expansion model, proved to be unsuccessful in that it did not display liquid crystalline phases. This drawback was then overcome using the alternative parametric hard Gaussian overlap model which was found to display a much richer phase behaviour. With a molecular elongation k = 5, both nematic and interdigitated smectic A 2 phases were obtained. In the final part of this Thesis, the knowledge acquired from the two previous studies was united in an attempt to model a bistable display cell. Switching between the hybrid aligned nematic and vertical states of the cell was successfully performed using pear shaped particles with both dielectric and

Macromolecular crowding-assisted fabrication of liquid-crystalline imprinted polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chen; Zhang, Jing; Huang, Yan-Ping; Liu, Zhao-Sheng

2015-04-01

A macromolecular crowding-assisted liquid-crystalline molecularly imprinted monolith (LC-MIM) was prepared successfully for the first time. The imprinted stationary phase was synthesized with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polystyrene (PS) as the crowding agent, 4-cyanophenyl dicyclohexyl propylene (CPCE) as the liquid-crystal monomer, and hydroquinidine as the pseudo-template for the chiral separation of cinchona alkaloids in HPLC. A low level of cross-linker (26%) has been found to be sufficient to achieve molecular recognition on the crowding-assisted LC-MIM due to the physical cross-linking of mesogenic groups in place of chemical cross-linking, and baseline separation of quinidine and quinine could be achieved with good resolution (R(s) = 2.96), selectivity factor (α = 2.16), and column efficiency (N = 2650 plates/m). In contrast, the LC-MIM prepared without crowding agents displayed the smallest diastereoselectivity (α = 1.90), while the crowding-assisted MIM with high level of cross-linker (80%) obtained the greatest selectivity factor (α = 7.65), but the lowest column efficiency (N = 177 plates/m).

Collagen films with stabilized liquid crystalline phases and concerns on osteoblast behaviors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Minjian; Ding, Shan; Min, Xiang; Jiao, Yanpeng, E-mail: tjiaoyp@jnu.edu.cn; Li, Lihua; Li, Hong; Zhou, Changren, E-mail: tcrz9@jnu.edu.cn

2016-01-01

To duplicate collagen's in vivo liquid crystalline (LC) phase and investigate the relationship between the morphology of LC collagen and osteoblast behavior, a self-assembly method was introduced for preparing collagen films with a stabilized LC phase. The LC texture and topological structure of the films before and after stabilization were observed with polarizing optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The relationship between the collagen films and osteoblast behavior was studied with the 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide method, proliferation index detection, alkaline phosphatase measurements, osteocalcin assay, inverted microscopy, SEM observation, AFM observation, and cytoskeleton fluorescence staining. The results showed that the LC collagen film had continuously twisting orientations in the cholesteric phase with a typical series of arced patterns. The collagen fibers assembled in a well-organized orientation in the LC film. Compared to the non-LC film, the LC collagen film can promote cell proliferation, and increase ALP and osteocalcin expression, revealing a contact guide effect on osteoblasts. - Highlights: • Collagen film with liquid crystalline (LC) phase was observed by POM, SEM and AFM. • The effect of LC collagen film on osteoblasts behaviors was studied in detail. • LC collagen film promoted osteoblast proliferation and osteogenesis activity.

Structural Analysis of Aromatic Liquid Crystalline Polyesters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arpad Somogyi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Laboratory preparations of liquid crystalline prepolymers, distillates accompanying prepolymers, final polymers, and sublimates accompanying final polymers were examined. NaOD/D2O depolymerization of prepolymers and polymers back to monomers with integration of the 1H NMR spectra showed up to 6% excess of carboxyls over phenol groups, caused partly by loss of the low-boiling comonomer hydroquinone through distillation during prepolymerization and leaving anhydride units in the polymer chain. ESI− MS and MS/MS of hexafluoroisopropanol extracts of the prepolymer detected small molecules including some containing anhydride groups; ESI+ MS showed the presence of small cyclic oligomers. 1H NMR (including TOCSY spectra provided more quantitative analyses of these oligomers. The final polymerization increases the length of the polymer chains and sublimes out the small oligomers. Anhydride linkages remaining in the polymer must make LCP’s more susceptible to degradation by nucleophilic reagents such as water, alkalis, and amines.

Understanding changes in cellulose crystalline structure of lignocellulosic biomass during ionic liquid pretreatment by XRD.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiafu; Wang, Yixun; Zhang, Liye; Zhang, Ruihong; Liu, Guangqing; Cheng, Gang

2014-01-01

X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to understand the interactions of cellulose in lignocellulosic biomass with ionic liquids (ILs). The experiment was designed in such a way that the process of swelling and solubilization of crystalline cellulose in plant cell walls was followed by XRD. Three different feedstocks, switchgrass, corn stover and rice husk, were pretreated using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C4mim][OAc]) at temperatures of 50-130°C for 6h. At a 5 wt.% biomass loading, increasing pretreatment temperature led to a drop in biomass crystallinity index (CrI), which was due to swelling of crystalline cellulose. After most of the crystalline cellulose was swollen with IL molecules, a low-order structure was found in the pretreated samples. Upon further increasing temperature, cellulose II structure started to form in the pretreated biomass samples as a result of solubilization of cellulose in [C4mim][OAc] and subsequent regeneration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High diffraction efficiency polarization gratings recorded by biphotonic holography in an azobenzene liquid crystalline polyester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sánchez, C; Alcalá, R; Hvilsted, Søren

2001-01-01

High diffraction efficiencies have been achieved with polarization gratings recorded in thin films of an azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline polyester by means of biphotonic processes. Efficiency values up to 30% have been reached after an induction period of 300 s and subsequent evolution...

Hydrogen Bond Induces Hierarchical Self-Assembly in Liquid-Crystalline Block Copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shuai; Pang, Linlin; Chen, Yuxuan; Zhou, Liming; Fang, Shaoming; Yu, Haifeng

2018-03-01

Microphase-separated structures of block copolymers (BCs) with a size of sub-10 nm are usually obtained by hydrogen-bond-induced self-assembly of BCs through doping with small molecules as functional additives. Here, fabrication of hierarchically self-assembled sub-10 nm structures upon microphase separation of amphiphilic liquid-crystalline BCs (LCBCs) at the existence of hydrogen bonds but without any dopants is reported. The newly introduced urethane groups in the side chain of the hydrophobic block of LCBCs interact with the ether groups of the hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block, leading to imperfect crystallization of the PEO blocks. Both crystalline and amorphous domains coexist in the separated PEO phase, enabling a lamellar structure to appear inside the PEO nanocylinders. This provides an elegant method to fabricate controllable sub-10 nm microstructures in well-defined polymer systems without the introduction of any dopants. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Demixing by a Nematic Mean Field: Coarse-Grained Simulations of Liquid Crystalline Polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramírez-Hernández, Abelardo; Hur, Su-Mi; Armas-Pérez, Julio; Cruz, Monica; de Pablo, Juan

2017-03-01

Liquid crystalline polymers exhibit a particular richness of behaviors that stems from their rigidity and their macromolecular nature. On the one hand, the orientational interaction between liquid-crystalline motifs promotes their alignment, thereby leading to the emergence of nematic phases. On the other hand, the large number of configurations associated with polymer chains favors formation of isotropic phases, with chain stiffness becoming the factor that tips the balance. In this work, a soft coarse-grained model is introduced to explore the interplay of chain stiffness, molecular weight and orientational coupling, and their role on the isotropic-nematic transition in homopolymer melts. We also study the structure of polymer mixtures composed of stiff and flexible polymeric molecules. We consider the effects of blend composition, persistence length, molecular weight and orientational coupling strength on the melt structure at the nano-and mesoscopic levels. Conditions are found where the systems separate into two phases, one isotropic and the other nematic. We confirm the existence of non-equilibrium states that exhibit sought-after percolating nematic domains, which are of interest for applications in organic photovoltaic and electronic devices.

Novel Photovoltaic Devices Using Ferroelectric Material and Colloidal Quantum Dots

Science.gov (United States)

Paik, Young Hun

As the global concern for the financial and environmental costs of traditional energy resources increases, research on renewable energy, most notably solar energy, has taken center stage. Many alternative photovoltaic (PV) technologies for 'the next generation solar cell' have been extensively studied to overcome the Shockley-Queisser 31% efficiency limit as well as tackle the efficiency vs. cost issues. This dissertation focuses on the novel photovoltaic mechanism for the next generation solar cells using two inorganic nanomaterials, nanocrystal quantum dots and ferroelectric nanoparticles. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) materials are widely studied and easy to synthesize using solution based chemistry. One of the fascinating properties of the PZT material is a Bulk Photovoltaic effect (BPVE). This property has been spotlighted because it can produce very high open circuit voltage regardless of the electrical bandgap of the materials. However, the poor optical absorption of the PZT materials and the required high temperature to form the ferroelectric crystalline structure have been obstacles to fabricate efficient photovoltaic devices. Colloidal quantum dots also have fascinating optical and electrical properties such as tailored absorption spectrum, capability of the bandgap engineering due to the wide range of material selection and quantum confinement, and very efficient carrier dynamics called multiple exciton generations. In order to utilize these properties, many researchers have put numerous efforts in colloidal quantum dot photovoltaic research and there has been remarkable progress in the past decade. However, several drawbacks are still remaining to achieve highly efficient photovoltaic device. Traps created on the large surface area, low carrier mobility, and lower open circuit voltage while increasing the absorption of the solar spectrum is main issues of the nanocrystal based photovoltaic effect. To address these issues and to take the advantages of

Room temperature p-type conductivity and coexistence of ferroelectric order in ferromagnetic Li doped ZnO nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Awan, Saif Ullah

2014-10-28

Memory and switching devices acquired new materials which exhibit ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order simultaneously. We reported multiferroic behavior in Zn1-yLiyO(0.00≤y≤0.10) nanoparticles. The analysis of transmission electron micrographs confirmed the hexagonal morphology and wurtzite crystalline structure. We investigated p-type conductivity in doped samples and measured hole carriers in range 2.4×1017/cc to 7.3×1017/cc for different Li contents. We found that hole carriers are responsible for long range order ferromagnetic coupling in Li doped samples. Room temperature ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed in 8% and 10% Li doped samples. We demonstrated ferroelectric coercivity (remnant polarization) 2.5kV/cm (0.11 μC/cm2) and 2.8kV/cm (0.15 μC/cm2) for y=0.08 and y=0.10 samples. We propose that the mechanism of Li induced ferroelectricity in ZnO is due to indirect dipole interaction via hole carriers. We investigated that if the sample has hole carriers ≥5.3×1017/cc, they can mediate the ferroelectricity. Ferroelectric and ferromagnetic measurements showed that higher electric polarization and larger magnetic moment is attained when the hole concentration is larger and vice versa. Our results confirmed the hole dependent coexistence of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric behavior at room temperature, which provide potential applications for switchable and memory devices.

Vehicles of inverted hexagonal liquid crystalline lipid phases self-assembled at room temperature

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Angelov, Borislav; Angelova, A.; Garamus, V. M.; Lesieur, S.

2013-01-01

Roč. 15, 3/4 (2013), s. 211-215 ISSN 1454-4164 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP208/10/1600 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : liquid crystalline lipid nanoparticles * small angle X-ray scattering * cross-polarised light optical microscopy Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 0.563, year: 2013 http://joam.inoe.ro/index.php?option=magazine&op=view&idu=3179&catid=76

A new series of two-ring-based side chain liquid crystalline polymers: synthesis and mesophase characterization

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Reddy, GSM

2013-05-01

Full Text Available A new series of side chain liquid crystalline polymers containing a core, a butamethylenoxy spacer, ester groups, and terminal alkoxy groups were synthesised and their structures were confirmed. The core was constructed with two phenyl rings...

Biaxial potential of surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Kaznacheev, Anatoly; Pozhidaev, Evgeny; Rudyak, Vladimir; Emelyanenko, Alexander V.; Khokhlov, Alexei

2018-04-01

A biaxial surface potential Φs of smectic-C* surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (SSFLCs) is introduced in this paper to explain the experimentally observed electric-field dependence of polarization P˜cell(E ) , in particular the shape of the static hysteresis loops. Our potential consists of three independent parts. The first nonpolar part Φn describes the deviation of the prime director n (which is the most probable orientation of the long molecular axes) from the easy alignment axis R , which is located in the boundary surface plane. It is introduced in the same manner as the uniaxial Rapini potential. The second part Φp of the potential is a polar term associated with the presence of the polar axis in a FLC. The third part Φm relates to the inherent FLC biaxiality, which has not been taken into consideration previously. The Φm part takes into account the deviations of the secondary director m (which is the most probable orientation of the short molecular axes) from the normal to the boundary surface. The overall surface potential Φs, which is a sum of Φn,Φp , and Φm, allows one to model the conditions when either one, two, or three minima of the SSFLC cell free energy are realized depending on the biaxiality extent. A monodomain or polydomain structure, as well as the bistability or monostability of SSFLC cells, depends on the number of free-energy minima, as confirmed experimentally. In this paper, we analyze the biaxiality impact on the FLC alignment. We also answer the question of whether the bistable or monostable structure can be formed in an SSFLC cell. Our approach is essentially based on a consideration of the biaxial surface potential, while the uniaxial surface potential cannot adequately describe the experimental observations in the FLC.

Thermal degradation of polymer systems having liquid crystalline oligoester segment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Matroniani

Full Text Available Abstract Block copolymers and blends comprised by liquid crystalline oligoester and polystyrene were prepared and their thermal stability were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The samples have shown three main decomposition temperatures due to (1 lost of flexible chain and decomposition of mesogenic segment, (2 decomposition of polystyrene and (3 final decomposition of oligoester rigid segment. Both copolymers and polymer blends presented lower thermal stability compared to polystyrene and oligoester. The residual mass after heating at 600 °C in copolymers and polymer blends were lower than those found in the oligoesters. A degradative process of aromatic segments of oligoester induced by decomposition of polystyrene is suggested.

Ferroelectric switching of elastin

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuanming; Cai, Hong-Ling; Zelisko, Matthew; Wang, Yunjie; Sun, Jinglan; Yan, Fei; Ma, Feiyue; Wang, Peiqi; Chen, Qian Nataly; Zheng, Hairong; Meng, Xiangjian; Sharma, Pradeep; Zhang, Yanhang; Li, Jiangyu

2014-01-01

Ferroelectricity has long been speculated to have important biological functions, although its very existence in biology has never been firmly established. Here, we present compelling evidence that elastin, the key ECM protein found in connective tissues, is ferroelectric, and we elucidate the molecular mechanism of its switching. Nanoscale piezoresponse force microscopy and macroscopic pyroelectric measurements both show that elastin retains ferroelectricity at 473 K, with polarization on the order of 1 μC/cm2, whereas coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations predict similar polarization with a Curie temperature of 580 K, which is higher than most synthetic molecular ferroelectrics. The polarization of elastin is found to be intrinsic in tropoelastin at the monomer level, analogous to the unit cell level polarization in classical perovskite ferroelectrics, and it switches via thermally activated cooperative rotation of dipoles. Our study sheds light onto a long-standing question on ferroelectric switching in biology and establishes ferroelectricity as an important biophysical property of proteins. This is a critical first step toward resolving its physiological significance and pathological implications. PMID:24958890

Volume phase transitions of cholesteric liquid crystalline gels.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuyama, Akihiko

2015-05-07

We present a mean field theory to describe anisotropic deformations of a cholesteric elastomer without solvent molecules and a cholesteric liquid crystalline gel immersed in isotropic solvents at a thermal equilibrium state. Based on the neoclassical rubber theory of nematic elastomers, we derive an elastic energy and a twist distortion energy, which are important to determine the shape of a cholesteric elastomer (or gel). We demonstrate that when the elastic energy dominates in the free energy, the cholesteric elastomer causes a spontaneous compression in the pitch axis and elongates along the director on the plane perpendicular to the pitch axis. Our theory can qualitatively describe the experimental results of a cholesteric elastomer. We also predict the first-order volume phase transitions and anisotropic deformations of a gel at the cholesteric-isotropic phase transition temperature. Depending on a chirality of a gel, we find a prolate or oblate shape of cholesteric gels.

Volume phase transitions of cholesteric liquid crystalline gels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuyama, Akihiko, E-mail: matuyama@bio.kyutech.ac.jp [Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kawazu 680-4, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502 (Japan)

2015-05-07

We present a mean field theory to describe anisotropic deformations of a cholesteric elastomer without solvent molecules and a cholesteric liquid crystalline gel immersed in isotropic solvents at a thermal equilibrium state. Based on the neoclassical rubber theory of nematic elastomers, we derive an elastic energy and a twist distortion energy, which are important to determine the shape of a cholesteric elastomer (or gel). We demonstrate that when the elastic energy dominates in the free energy, the cholesteric elastomer causes a spontaneous compression in the pitch axis and elongates along the director on the plane perpendicular to the pitch axis. Our theory can qualitatively describe the experimental results of a cholesteric elastomer. We also predict the first-order volume phase transitions and anisotropic deformations of a gel at the cholesteric-isotropic phase transition temperature. Depending on a chirality of a gel, we find a prolate or oblate shape of cholesteric gels.

Magnetic enhancement of ferroelectric polarization in a self-grown ferroelectric-ferromagnetic composite

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amit; Narayan, Bastola; Pachat, Rohit; Ranjan, Rajeev

2018-02-01

Ferroelectric-ferromagnetic multiferroic composites are of great interest both from the scientific and technological standpoints. The extent of coupling between polarization and magnetization in such two-phase systems depends on how efficiently the magnetostrictive and electrostrictive/piezoelectric strain gets transferred from one phase to the other. This challenge is most profound in the easy to make 0-3 ferroelectric-ferromagnetic particulate composites. Here we report a self-grown ferroelectric-ferromagnetic 0-3 particulate composite through controlled spontaneous precipitation of ferrimagnetic barium hexaferrite phase (BaF e12O19 ) amid ferroelectric grains in the multiferroic alloy system BiFe O3-BaTi O3 . We demonstrate that a composite specimen exhibiting merely ˜1% hexaferrite phase exhibits ˜34% increase in saturation polarization in a dc magnetic field of ˜10 kOe. Using modified Rayleigh analysis of the polarization field loop in the subcoercive field region we argue that the substantial enhancement in the ferroelectric switching is associated with the reduction in the barrier heights of the pinning centers of the ferroelectric-ferroelastic domain walls in the stress field generated by magnetostriction in the hexaferrite grains when the magnetic field is turned on. Our study proves that controlled precipitation of the magnetic phase is a good strategy for synthesis of 0-3 ferroelectric-ferromagnetic particulate multiferroic composite as it not only helps in ensuring a good electrical insulating character of the composite, enabling it to sustain high enough electric field for ferroelectric switching, but also the factors associated with the spontaneity of the precipitation process ensure efficient transfer of the magnetostrictive strain/stress to the surrounding ferroelectric matrix making domain wall motion easy.

Liquid crystalline systems containing Vitamin E TPGS for the controlled transdermal nicotine delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lívia Neves Borgheti-Cardoso

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Transdermal nicotine patches have been used in smoking cessation therapy, suggested for the treatment of skin disorders with eosinophilic infiltration and have been found to improve attention performance in patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-associated memory impairment. However, skin irritation with extended patch use is still a problem. The aim of this work was to develop a simple to prepare liquid crystalline system containing vitamin E TPGS that would be able to control nicotine delivery and reduce irritation and sensitization problems. The liquid crystalline phases were macroscopically characterized by visual analysis and examined microscopically under a polarized light microscope. Topical and transdermal delivery of nicotine were investigated in vitro using porcine ear skin mounted on a Franz diffusion cell. Nicotine skin permeation from the developed cubic phase followed zero-order kinetics (r = 0.993 and was significantly enhanced after 12 h when compared to the control formulation (nicotine solution (p < 0.05 (138.86 ± 20.44 and 64.91 ± 4.06 μg/cm2, respectively. Cubic phase was also able to target viable skin layers in comparison to control solution (8.18 ± 1.89 and 2.63 ± 2.51 μg/cm2, respectively. Further studies to evaluate skin sensitization and irritation are now necessary.

10,000 optical write, read, and erase cycles in an azobenzene sidechain liquid-crystalline polyester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holme, NCR; Ramanujam, P.S.; Hvilsted, Søren

1996-01-01

We show far what is believed to he the first time that it is possible tu generate 10,000 rapid write, read, and erase cycles optically in an azobenzene sidechain liquid-crystalline polyester. We do this by exposing the film alternately to visible light from an argon laser at 488 nm and ultraviolet...

New liquid crystalline materials based on two generations of dendronised cyclophosphazenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Josefina; Laguna, Antonio; Gascón, Elena; Sanz, José Antonio; Serrano, José Luis; Barberá, Joaquín; Oriol, Luis

2012-12-21

A divergent approach was used for the synthesis of dendritic structures based on a cyclotriphosphazene core with 12 or 24 hydroxyl groups, by starting from [N(3)P(3)(OC(6)H(4)OH-4)(6)] and using an acetal-protected 2,2-di(hydroxymethyl)propionic anhydride as the acylating agent. Hydroxyl groups in these first- and second-generation dendrimers, G1-(OH)(12) or G2-(OH)(24), were then condensed in turn with mono- or polycatenar pro-mesogenic acids to study their ability to promote self-assembly into liquid crystalline structures. Reactions were monitored by using (31)P{(1)H} and (1)H NMR spectroscopy and the chemical structure of the resulting materials was confirmed by using different spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The results were in accordance with monodisperse, fully functionalised cyclotriphosphazene dendrimers. Thermal and liquid crystalline properties were studied by using optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The dendrimer with 12 4-pentylbiphenyl mesogenic units gives rise to columnar rectangular organisation, whereas the one with 24 pentylbiphenyl units does not exhibit mesomorphic behaviour. In the case of materials that contain polycatenar pro-mesogenic units with two aromatic rings (A4 vs. A5), the incorporation of a short flexible spacer connected to the periphery of the dendron (acid A5) was needed to achieve mesomorphic organisation. In this case, both dendrimer generations G1 A5 and G2 A5 exhibit a hexagonal columnar mesophase. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Molecular ferroelectrics: where electronics meet biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiangyu; Liu, Yuanming; Zhang, Yanhang; Cai, Hong-Ling; Xiong, Ren-Gen

2013-12-28

In the last several years, we have witnessed significant advances in molecular ferroelectrics, with the ferroelectric properties of molecular crystals approaching those of barium titanate. In addition, ferroelectricity has been observed in biological systems, filling an important missing link in bioelectric phenomena. In this perspective, we will present short historical notes on ferroelectrics, followed by an overview of the fundamentals of ferroelectricity. The latest developments in molecular ferroelectrics and biological ferroelectricity will then be highlighted, and their implications and potential applications will be discussed. We close by noting molecular ferroelectric as an exciting frontier between electronics and biology, and a number of challenges ahead are also described.

Behaviour of nematic liquid crystals doped with ferroelectric nanoparticles in the presence of an electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Emdadi, M.; Poursamad, J. B.; Sahrai, M.; Moghaddas, F.

2018-06-01

A planar nematic liquid crystal cell (NLC) doped with spherical ferroelectric nanoparticles is considered. Polarisation of the nanoparticles are assumed to be along the NLC molecules parallel and antiparallel to the director with equal probability. The NLC molecules anchoring to the cell walls are considered to be strong, while soft anchoring at the nanoparticles surface is supposed. Behaviour of the NLC molecules and nanoparticles in the presence of a perpendicular electric field to the NLC cell is theoretically investigated. The electric field of the nanoparticles is taken into account in the calculations. Freedericksz transition (FT) threshold field in the presence of nanoparticles is found. Then, the director and particles reorientations for the electric fields larger than the threshold field are studied. Measuring the onset of the nanoparticles reorientation is proposed as a new method for the FT threshold measurement.

Crystallinity and electrical properties of neodymium-substituted bismuth titanate thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.-C.; Hsiung, C.-P.; Chen, C.-Y.; Gan, J.-Y.; Sun, Y.-M.; Lin, C.-P.

2006-01-01

We report on the properties of Nd-substituted bismuth titanate Bi 4-x Nd x Ti 3 O 12 (BNdT) thin films for ferroelectric non-volatile memory applications. The Nd-substituted bismuth titanate thin films fabricated by modified chemical solution deposition technique showed much improved properties compared to pure bismuth titanate. A pyrochlore free crystalline phase was obtained at a low annealing temperature of 640 deg. C and grain size was found to be considerably increased as the annealing temperature increased. The film properties were found to be strongly dependent on the Nd content and annealing temperatures. The measured dielectric constant of BNdT thin films was in the range 172-130 for Bi 4-x Nd x Ti 3 O 12 with x 0.0-0.75. Ferroelectric properties of Nd-substituted bismuth titanate thin films were significantly improved compared to pure bismuth titanate. For example, the observed 2P r and E c for Bi 3.25 Nd 0.75 Ti 3 O 12 , annealed at 680 deg. C, were 38 μC/cm 2 and 98 kV/cm, respectively. The improved microstructural and ferroelectric properties of BNdT thin films suggest their suitability for high density ferroelectric random access memory applications

Comparison of alignment tensors generated for native tRNAVal using magnetic fields and liquid crystalline media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latham, Michael P.; Hanson, Paul; Brown, Darin J.; Pardi, Arthur

2008-01-01

Residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) complement standard NOE distance and J-coupling torsion angle data to improve the local and global structure of biomolecules in solution. One powerful application of RDCs is for domain orientation studies, which are especially valuable for structural studies of nucleic acids, where the local structure of a double helix is readily modeled and the orientations of the helical domains can then be determined from RDC data. However, RDCs obtained from only one alignment media generally result in degenerate solutions for the orientation of multiple domains. In protein systems, different alignment media are typically used to eliminate this orientational degeneracy, where the combination of RDCs from two (or more) independent alignment tensors can be used to overcome this degeneracy. It is demonstrated here for native E. coli tRNA Val that many of the commonly used liquid crystalline alignment media result in very similar alignment tensors, which do not eliminate the 4-fold degeneracy for orienting the two helical domains in tRNA. The intrinsic magnetic susceptibility anisotropy (MSA) of the nucleobases in tRNA Val was also used to obtain RDCs for magnetic alignment at 800 and 900 MHz. While these RDCs yield a different alignment tensor, the specific orientation of this tensor combined with the high rhombicity for the tensors in the liquid crystalline media only eliminates two of the four degenerate orientations for tRNA Val . Simulations are used to show that, in optimal cases, the combination of RDCs obtained from liquid crystalline medium and MSA-induced alignment can be used to obtain a unique orientation for the two helical domains in tRNA Val

Temperature-Responsive Luminescent Solar Concentrators: Tuning Energy Transfer in a Liquid Crystalline Matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Sol, Jeroen A H P; Dehm, Volker; Hecht, Reinhard; Würthner, Frank; Schenning, Albertus P H J; Debije, Michael G

2018-01-22

Temperature-responsive luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have been fabricated in which the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a donor-acceptor pair in a liquid crystalline solvent can be tuned. At room temperatures, the perylene bisimide (PBI) acceptor is aggregated and FRET is inactive; while after heating to a temperature above the isotropic phase of the liquid crystal solvent, the acceptor PBI completely dissolves and FRET is activated. This unusual temperature control over FRET was used to design a color-tunable LSC. The device has been shown to be highly stable towards consecutive heating and cooling cycles, making it an appealing device for harvesting otherwise unused solar energy. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Ferroelectrics principles, structure and applications

CERN Document Server

Merchant, Serena

2014-01-01

Ferroelectric physics is a theory on ferroelectric phase transition for explaining various related phenomena, which is different from dielectric physics. Ferroelectric materials are important functional materials for various applications such as NVRAMs, high energy density capacitors, actuators, MEMs, sonar sensors, microphones and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). This book investigates the dielectric, ferroelectric and energy storage properties of barium zirconate-titanate/barium calcium-titanate (BZT-BCT) based ceramic for high energy density capacitors. It also compares the energy storage capabilities of ceramic powders with polymer-ceramic nanocomposites; and discusses dielectric properties of ferroelectricity in composition distributions.

Anisotropy-based crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor material

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Rodney Allen; Walker, Frederick Joseph

2000-01-01

A semiconductor structure and device for use in a semiconductor application utilizes a substrate of semiconductor-based material, such as silicon, and a thin film of a crystalline oxide whose unit cells are capable of exhibiting anisotropic behavior overlying the substrate surface. Within the structure, the unit cells of the crystalline oxide are exposed to an in-plane stain which influences the geometric shape of the unit cells and thereby arranges a directional-dependent quality of the unit cells in a predisposed orientation relative to the substrate. This predisposition of the directional-dependent quality of the unit cells enables the device to take beneficial advantage of characteristics of the structure during operation. For example, in the instance in which the crystalline oxide of the structure is a perovskite, a spinel or an oxide of similarly-related cubic structure, the structure can, within an appropriate semiconductor device, exhibit ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, electro-optic, ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, magneto-optic or large dielectric properties that synergistically couple to the underlying semiconductor substrate.

On the molecular anisotropy of liquid crystalline and flexible polymer systems

Science.gov (United States)

van Horn, Brett L.

The demand for products of ever increasing quality or for novel applications has required increasing attention to or manipulation of the anisotropy of manufactured parts. Oriented plastics are used everywhere from recording film to automotive body parts to monofilament fishing line. Liquid crystals are also used in a wide array of applications including their dominance in the flat panel display industry, color changing temperature sensors, and woven bullet resistant fabrics. Anisotropy can also be detrimental, for instance sometimes leading to poor fracture resistance or low yield stress along specific directions. Controlling and measuring anisotropy of materials has become increasingly important, but doing so is wrought with challenges. Measuring physical properties of isotropic liquids, such as water or most oils can be done in a straightforward fashion. Their viscosities and densities, for example, have unique values under a given set of conditions. With anisotropic fluids, like liquid crystals, the viscosity, for instance, will not only depend upon temperature, concentration, etc. but also upon the direction of observation, degree of anisotropy, source of anisotropy, and so forth. This added degree of complexity complicates our ability to define the state of the material at which the measurements are made and generally necessitates the use of more sophisticated measurement strategies or techniques. This work presents techniques and tools for investigating anisotropy in liquid crystalline and stretched polymeric systems. Included are the use of conoscopy for the determination of birefringence and orientation of nematic liquid crystals and stretched polymers, the shear response of flow aligning nematic liquid crystal monodomains, and the design of a novel linear rheometer that allows for in situ optical or scattering investigations.

Ferroelectric properties of barium strontium titanate thin films grown by RF co-sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapata-Navarro, A.; Marquez-Herrera, A.; Cruz-Jauregui, M.P.; Calzada, M.L.

2005-01-01

In this work, we present the variation of the ferroelectric properties of Ba 1-x Sr x TiO 3 films deposited on Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrates by RF co-sputtering with 0≤x≤1. The co-sputtering was done using a single magnetron with BaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 targets in a pie mosaics configuration. Smooth and uniform films were obtained using the same conditions of growth and annealing temperature. The X-ray diffraction and EDS results show that the processes were managed to obtain crystalline materials with x from 0 to 1. The behaviour of P-E loops suggests that the ferroelectric properties of the films were tuned by changing the concentration of the cation. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Studies on the Synthesis,Characterization and Properties of the Reactive Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

1 Introduction Four species of reactive thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCMC) with different relative molecular weight were synthesized in this work (see scheme 1, n=2, 6, 10, ∞.n means number of repeat structure unit). Their structure, morphology and properties were investigated systemically by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), polarizing opticalmicroscopy (POM) and ubb...

Selectively deuterated liquid crystalline cyanoazobenzene side-chain polyesters. 3. Investigations of laser induced segmental mobility by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kulinna, Christian; Hvilsted, Søren; Hendann, Claudia

1998-01-01

The laser-induced anisotropy in thin films of an extensive number of cyanoazobenzene sidechain liquid crystalline polytetradecanedioates, -dodecanedioates, and -adipates selectively deuterated at different positions have been investigated with polarized FTIR spectroscopy. The analysis of the segm......The laser-induced anisotropy in thin films of an extensive number of cyanoazobenzene sidechain liquid crystalline polytetradecanedioates, -dodecanedioates, and -adipates selectively deuterated at different positions have been investigated with polarized FTIR spectroscopy. The analysis...... of the segmental orientation based on dichroic ratios of characteristic absorption bands shows that, in polyesters with long main-chain spacing (tetradecanedioates and dodecanedioates), not only the light sensitive azo chromophore but also the main-chain methylene segment and to a smaller extent the flexible...

Electric double layer transistors with ferroelectric BaTiO3 channels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ito, M.; Matsubara, Y.; Kozuka, Y.; Takahashi, K. S.; Kagawa, F.; Ye, J. T.; Iwasa, Y.; Ueno, K.; Tokura, Y.; Kawasaki, M.

2014-01-01

We report the surface conduction of a BaTiO3 thin film using electric double layer transistor (EDLT) structure. A transistor operation was observed at 220 K with an on/off ratio exceeding 10(5), demonstrating that ionic liquid gating is effective to induce carriers at the surface of ferroelectric

Polymer Ferroelectric Memory for Flexible Electronics

KAUST Repository

Khan, Mohd Adnan

2013-01-01

With the projected growth of the flexible and plastic electronics industry, there is renewed interest in the research community to develop high performance all-polymeric memory which will be an essential component of any electronic circuit. Some of the efforts in polymer memories are based on different mechanisms such as filamentary conduction, charge trapping effects, dipole alignment, and reduction-oxidation to name a few. Among these the leading candidate are those based on the mechanism of ferroelectricity. Polymer ferroelectric memory can be used in niche applications like smart cards, RFID tags, sensors etc. This dissertation will focus on novel material and device engineering to fabricate high performance low temperature polymeric ferroelectric memory for flexible electronics. We address and find solutions to some fundamental problems affecting all polymer ferroelectric memory like high coercive fields, fatigue and thermal stability issues, poor breakdown strength and poor p-type hole mobilities. Some of the strategies adopted in this dissertation are: Use of different flexible substrates, electrode engineering to improve charge injection and fatigue properties of ferroelectric polymers, large area ink jet printing of ferroelectric memory devices, use of polymer blends to improve insulating properties of ferroelectric polymers and use of oxide semiconductors to fabricate high mobility p-type ferroelectric memory. During the course of this dissertation we have fabricated: the first all-polymer ferroelectric capacitors with solvent modified highly conducting polymeric poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) [PEDOT:PSS] electrodes on plastic substrates with performance as good as devices with metallic Platinum-Gold electrodes on silicon substrates; the first all-polymer high performance ferroelectric memory on banknotes for security applications; novel ferroelectric capacitors based on blends of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride

Polymer Ferroelectric Memory for Flexible Electronics

KAUST Repository

Khan, Mohd Adnan

2013-11-01

With the projected growth of the flexible and plastic electronics industry, there is renewed interest in the research community to develop high performance all-polymeric memory which will be an essential component of any electronic circuit. Some of the efforts in polymer memories are based on different mechanisms such as filamentary conduction, charge trapping effects, dipole alignment, and reduction-oxidation to name a few. Among these the leading candidate are those based on the mechanism of ferroelectricity. Polymer ferroelectric memory can be used in niche applications like smart cards, RFID tags, sensors etc. This dissertation will focus on novel material and device engineering to fabricate high performance low temperature polymeric ferroelectric memory for flexible electronics. We address and find solutions to some fundamental problems affecting all polymer ferroelectric memory like high coercive fields, fatigue and thermal stability issues, poor breakdown strength and poor p-type hole mobilities. Some of the strategies adopted in this dissertation are: Use of different flexible substrates, electrode engineering to improve charge injection and fatigue properties of ferroelectric polymers, large area ink jet printing of ferroelectric memory devices, use of polymer blends to improve insulating properties of ferroelectric polymers and use of oxide semiconductors to fabricate high mobility p-type ferroelectric memory. During the course of this dissertation we have fabricated: the first all-polymer ferroelectric capacitors with solvent modified highly conducting polymeric poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) [PEDOT:PSS] electrodes on plastic substrates with performance as good as devices with metallic Platinum-Gold electrodes on silicon substrates; the first all-polymer high performance ferroelectric memory on banknotes for security applications; novel ferroelectric capacitors based on blends of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride

The orientation-enhancing effect of diphenyl aluminium phosphate nanorods in a liquid-crystalline epoxy matrix ordered by magnetic field

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mossety-Leszczak, B.; Strachota, Beata; Strachota, Adam; Steinhart, Miloš; Šlouf, Miroslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 72, November (2015), s. 238-255 ISSN 0014-3057 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : liquid-crystalline epoxy resins * magnetic field orientation * nanocomposites Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.485, year: 2015

Ferroelectric properties of barium strontium titanate thin films grown by RF co-sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zapata-Navarro, A.; Marquez-Herrera, A. [CICATA-IPN, Km. 14.5 Carretera Tampico-Puerto Ind. Altamira, Altamira Tamaulipas 89600 (Mexico); Cruz-Jauregui, M.P. [CCMC-UNAM, Km. 107 Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada, Ensenada B.C. 22800 (Mexico); Calzada, M.L. [ICMM (CSIC) Madrid, Cantoblanco Madrid 28049 (Spain)

2005-08-01

In this work, we present the variation of the ferroelectric properties of Ba{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}TiO{sub 3} films deposited on Pt/TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates by RF co-sputtering with 0{<=}x{<=}1. The co-sputtering was done using a single magnetron with BaTiO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} targets in a pie mosaics configuration. Smooth and uniform films were obtained using the same conditions of growth and annealing temperature. The X-ray diffraction and EDS results show that the processes were managed to obtain crystalline materials with x from 0 to 1. The behaviour of P-E loops suggests that the ferroelectric properties of the films were tuned by changing the concentration of the cation. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Directly patternable high refractive index ferroelectric sol–gel resist

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garoli, D., E-mail: denis.garoli@iit.it [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 16, 16136 Genova (Italy); Della Giustina, G. [Industrial Engineering Department, University of Padova and INSTM, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova (Italy)

2015-08-15

The development of a ferroelectric negative tone sol–gel resist for Ultraviolet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) lithography is presented. A new system based on Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT, with formula PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3}) was synthesized by sol–gel method. The lithographic performances were investigated and several structures spanning from the micron range down to less than 50 nm have been achieved by UV and EB lithography. The system interaction with UV light and Electron beam was thoroughly characterized by FT-IT spectroscopy. The exposed PZT was annealed at high temperatures in order to study the crystalline phase evolution, the optical constants values and stability of patterned structures. After exposure and annealing, the refractive index of the material can vary from 1.68 up to 2.33 (@400 nm), while the ferroelectric behaviour seems to be maintained after high temperature annealing. These results suggest a possible application of PZT resist not only as ferroelectric but also as nanopatternable high refractive index material. Moreover, direct nanopatterning by means of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) lithography was verified and the potentiality for the preparation of high aspect ratio hollow nanostructures will be presented. - Highlights: • A new formula directly patternable PZT high refractive index resist is presented. • The gel is sensitive to both UV and electron beam exposure. • The refractive index can vary from 1.68 up to 2.33 (@400 nm). • Direct nanopatterning by means of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) lithography was verified. • High aspect ratio hollow nanostructures will be presented.

Losses in Ferroelectric Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gang; Zhang, Shujun; Jiang, Wenhua; Cao, Wenwu

2015-01-01

Ferroelectric materials are the best dielectric and piezoelectric materials known today. Since the discovery of barium titanate in the 1940s, lead zirconate titanate ceramics in the 1950s and relaxor-PT single crystals (such as lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate and lead zinc niobate-lead titanate) in the 1980s and 1990s, perovskite ferroelectric materials have been the dominating piezoelectric materials for electromechanical devices, and are widely used in sensors, actuators and ultrasonic transducers. Energy losses (or energy dissipation) in ferroelectrics are one of the most critical issues for high power devices, such as therapeutic ultrasonic transducers, large displacement actuators, SONAR projectors, and high frequency medical imaging transducers. The losses of ferroelectric materials have three distinct types, i.e., elastic, piezoelectric and dielectric losses. People have been investigating the mechanisms of these losses and are trying hard to control and minimize them so as to reduce performance degradation in electromechanical devices. There are impressive progresses made in the past several decades on this topic, but some confusions still exist. Therefore, a systematic review to define related concepts and clear up confusions is urgently in need. With this objective in mind, we provide here a comprehensive review on the energy losses in ferroelectrics, including related mechanisms, characterization techniques and collections of published data on many ferroelectric materials to provide a useful resource for interested scientists and engineers to design electromechanical devices and to gain a global perspective on the complex physical phenomena involved. More importantly, based on the analysis of available information, we proposed a general theoretical model to describe the inherent relationships among elastic, dielectric, piezoelectric and mechanical losses. For multi-domain ferroelectric single crystals and ceramics, intrinsic and extrinsic energy

Losses in Ferroelectric Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gang; Zhang, Shujun; Jiang, Wenhua; Cao, Wenwu

2015-03-01

Ferroelectric materials are the best dielectric and piezoelectric materials known today. Since the discovery of barium titanate in the 1940s, lead zirconate titanate ceramics in the 1950s and relaxor-PT single crystals (such as lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate and lead zinc niobate-lead titanate) in the 1980s and 1990s, perovskite ferroelectric materials have been the dominating piezoelectric materials for electromechanical devices, and are widely used in sensors, actuators and ultrasonic transducers. Energy losses (or energy dissipation) in ferroelectrics are one of the most critical issues for high power devices, such as therapeutic ultrasonic transducers, large displacement actuators, SONAR projectors, and high frequency medical imaging transducers. The losses of ferroelectric materials have three distinct types, i.e., elastic, piezoelectric and dielectric losses. People have been investigating the mechanisms of these losses and are trying hard to control and minimize them so as to reduce performance degradation in electromechanical devices. There are impressive progresses made in the past several decades on this topic, but some confusions still exist. Therefore, a systematic review to define related concepts and clear up confusions is urgently in need. With this objective in mind, we provide here a comprehensive review on the energy losses in ferroelectrics, including related mechanisms, characterization techniques and collections of published data on many ferroelectric materials to provide a useful resource for interested scientists and engineers to design electromechanical devices and to gain a global perspective on the complex physical phenomena involved. More importantly, based on the analysis of available information, we proposed a general theoretical model to describe the inherent relationships among elastic, dielectric, piezoelectric and mechanical losses. For multi-domain ferroelectric single crystals and ceramics, intrinsic and extrinsic energy

Evaluation of Microemulsion and Lamellar Liquid Crystalline Systems for Transdermal Zidovudine Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, André Luis Menezes; Silva, José Alexsandro da; Lira, Ana Amélia Moreira; Conceição, Tamara Matos Freire; Nunes, Rogéria de Souza; de Albuquerque Junior, Ricardo Luiz Cavalcanti; Sarmento, Victor Hugo Vitorino; Leal, Leila Bastos; de Santana, Davi Pereira

2016-07-01

This study proposed to investigate and to compare colloidal carrier systems containing Zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine) (AZT) for transdermal administration and optimization of antiretroviral therapy. Microemulsion (ME) and lamellar phase (LP) liquid crystal were obtained and selected from pseudoternary diagrams previously developed. Small-angle X-ray scattering and rheology analysis confirmed the presence of typical ME and liquid crystalline structures with lamellar arrangement, respectively. Both colloidal carrier systems, ME, and LP remained stable, homogeneous, and isotropic after AZT addition. In vitro permeation study (using pig ear skin) showed that the amount of permeated drug was higher for ME compared to the control and LP, obtaining a permeation enhancing effect on the order of approximately 2-fold (p drug permeation without causing apparent skin irritation. On the order hand, LP functioned as a drug reservoir reducing AZT partitioning into the skin. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ferroelectricity at the nanoscale basics and applications

CERN Document Server

Fridkin, Vladimir

2014-01-01

This book examines a wide range of ferroelectric materials. It explains the theoretical background of ultrathin ferroelectric films,  presents applications of ferroelectric materials, and displays the mechanism of switching of nanosized ferroelectric films.

Liquid crystalline polymers IX Main chain thermotropic poly (azomethine – ethers containing thiazole moiety linked with polymethylene spacers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-04-01

Full Text Available A new homologous series of thermally stable thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(azomethine-ethers based on thiazole moiety were synthesized by solution polycondensation of 4,4`-diformyl-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes, I–IV or 4,4`-diformyl-2,2`-dimethoxy-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes V–VIII with the new bis(2-aminothiazole monomer X. A model compound XI was synthesized from X with benzaldehyde and characterized by elemental and spectral analyses. The inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers were in the range 0.43–1.34 dI/g. All the poly(azomethine-ethers were insoluble in common organic solvents but dissolved completely in concentrated H2SO4 and formic acid. The mesomorphic properties of these polymers were studied as a function of the diphenoxyalkane space length. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were examined by DSC and optical polarizing microscopy and demonstrated that the resulting polymers form nematic mesophases over wide temperature ranges. The thermogravimetric analyses of those polymers were evaluated by TGA and DSC measurements and correlated to their structural units. X-ray analysis showed that polymers having some degree of crystallinity in the region 2θ = 5–60°. In addition, the morphological properties of selected examples were tested by scanning electron microscopy.

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

OpenAIRE

Saed, Mohand O.; Torbati, Amir H.; Nair, Devatha P.; Yakacki, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

This study presents a novel two-stage thiol-acrylate Michael addition-photopolymerization (TAMAP) reaction to prepare main-chain liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with facile control over network structure and programming of an aligned monodomain. Tailored LCE networks were synthesized using routine mixing of commercially available starting materials and pouring monomer solutions into molds to cure. An initial polydomain LCE network is formed via a self-limiting thiol-acrylate Michael-addi...

The importance of orientation in proton transport of a polymer film based on an oriented self-organized columnar liquid-crystalline polyether

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tylkowski, Bartosz; Castelao, Nuria [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Paiesos Catalans, 26, E-43007, Tarragona (Spain); Giamberini, Marta, E-mail: marta.giamberini@urv.net [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Paiesos Catalans, 26, E-43007, Tarragona (Spain); Garcia-Valls, Ricard [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Paiesos Catalans, 26, E-43007, Tarragona (Spain); Reina, Jose Antonio [Departament de Quimica Analitica i Quimica Organica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Carrer Marcel.li Domingo s/n, E-43007, Tarragona (Spain); Gumi, Tania [Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Paiesos Catalans, 26, E-43007, Tarragona (Spain)

2012-02-01

We prepared membranes based on a liquid-crystalline side-chain polyether obtained by chemical modification of commercial poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) with dendrons. This polymer exhibited a columnar structure, which could form an ion channel in the inner part. The columns were successfully oriented by taking advantage of surface interactions between the polymer and hydrophilic substrates, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and optical microscopy between crossed polars (POM). Column orientation was found to be crucial for effective transport: the oriented membranes exhibited proton transport comparable to that of Nafion Registered-Sign N117 and no water uptake. An increase in sodium ion concentration in the feed phase suggested a proton/cation antiport. On the contrary, no proton transport was detected on unoriented membranes based on the same liquid-crystalline side-chain polyether or on unmodified PECH. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We prepared oriented membranes based on a liquid crystalline columnar polyether. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In this structure, the inner polyether chain could work as an ion channel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We obtained membranes by casting a chloroform solution in the presence of water. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Membranes showed good proton permeability due to the presence of oriented channels.

The importance of orientation in proton transport of a polymer film based on an oriented self-organized columnar liquid-crystalline polyether

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tylkowski, Bartosz; Castelao, Nuria; Giamberini, Marta; Garcia-Valls, Ricard; Reina, José Antonio; Gumí, Tània

2012-01-01

We prepared membranes based on a liquid-crystalline side-chain polyether obtained by chemical modification of commercial poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) with dendrons. This polymer exhibited a columnar structure, which could form an ion channel in the inner part. The columns were successfully oriented by taking advantage of surface interactions between the polymer and hydrophilic substrates, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and optical microscopy between crossed polars (POM). Column orientation was found to be crucial for effective transport: the oriented membranes exhibited proton transport comparable to that of Nafion® N117 and no water uptake. An increase in sodium ion concentration in the feed phase suggested a proton/cation antiport. On the contrary, no proton transport was detected on unoriented membranes based on the same liquid-crystalline side-chain polyether or on unmodified PECH. - Highlights: ► We prepared oriented membranes based on a liquid crystalline columnar polyether. ► In this structure, the inner polyether chain could work as an ion channel. ► We obtained membranes by casting a chloroform solution in the presence of water. ► Membranes showed good proton permeability due to the presence of oriented channels.

Droplet snap-off in fluids with nematic liquid crystalline ordering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verhoeff, A A; Lekkerkerker, H N W

2012-01-01

We studied the snap-off of nematic liquid crystalline droplets originating from the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the isotropic-nematic interface in suspensions of charged gibbsite in water and sterically stabilized gibbsite in bromotoluene. We found that droplet snap-off strongly depends on the director field structure inside the thinning neck, which is determined by the ratio of the splay elastic constant and the anchoring strength of the nematic phase to the droplet interface relative to the thickness of the thinning neck. If anchoring is weak, which is the case for aqueous gibbsite, this ratio is comparable to the thickness of the breaking thread. As a result, the thinning neck and pending drop have a uniform director field and droplet snap-off is determined by the viscous properties of the liquid crystal as well as by thermal fluctuations of the interface. On the other hand, in sterically stabilized gibbsite where anchoring is strong, this ratio is significantly smaller than the neck thickness. In this case, the neck has an escaped radial director field and the neck thinning is retarded close to snap-off due to a topological energy barrier involved in the separation of the droplet from the thread. (paper)

Alignment engineering in liquid crystalline elastomers: Free-form microstructures with multiple functionalities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Hao; Cerretti, Giacomo; Wiersma, Diederik S., E-mail: camilla.parmeggiani@lens.unifi.it, E-mail: wiersma@lens.unifi.it [European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Wasylczyk, Piotr [European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Faculty of Physics, Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, ul. Hoza 69, Warszawa 00-681 (Poland); Martella, Daniele [European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff,” University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Parmeggiani, Camilla, E-mail: camilla.parmeggiani@lens.unifi.it, E-mail: wiersma@lens.unifi.it [European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); CNR-INO, via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy)

2015-03-16

We report a method to fabricate polymer microstructures with local control over the molecular orientation. Alignment control is achieved on molecular level in a structure of arbitrary form that can be from 1 to 100 μm in size, by fixing the local boundary conditions with micro-grating patterns. The method makes use of two-photon polymerization (Direct Laser Writing) and is demonstrated specifically in liquid-crystalline elastomers. This concept allows for the realization of free-form polymeric structures with multiple functionalities which are not possible to realize with existing techniques and which can be locally controlled by light in the micrometer scale.

Local Weak Ferromagnetism in Single-Crystalline Ferroelectric BiFeO3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramazanoglu, M.; Laver, Mark; Ratcliff, W.

2011-01-01

Polarized small-angle neutron scattering studies of single-crystalline multiferroic BiFeO3 reveal a long-wavelength spin density wave generated by ∼1° spin canting of the spins out of the rotation plane of the antiferromagnetic cycloidal order. This signifies weak ferromagnetism within mesoscopic...

Snapshot Mueller matrix polarimetry by wavelength polarization coding and application to the study of switching dynamics in a ferroelectric liquid crystal cell.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le Jeune B.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a snapshot Mueller matrix polarimeter by wavelength polarization coding. This device is aimed at encoding polarization states in the spectral domain through use of a broadband source and high-order retarders. This allows one to measure a full Mueller matrix from a single spectrum whose acquisition time only depends on the detection system aperture. The theoretical fundamentals of this technique are developed prior to validation by experiments. The setup calibration is described as well as optimization and stabilization procedures. Then, it is used to study, by time-resolved Mueller matrix polarimetry, the switching dynamics in a ferroelectric liquid crystal cell.

Ferroelectric devices

CERN Document Server

Uchino, Kenji

2009-01-01

Updating its bestselling predecessor, Ferroelectric Devices, Second Edition assesses the last decade of developments-and setbacks-in the commercialization of ferroelectricity. Field pioneer and esteemed author Uchino provides insight into why this relatively nascent and interdisciplinary process has failed so far without a systematic accumulation of fundamental knowledge regarding materials and device development.Filling the informational void, this collection of information reviews state-of-the-art research and development trends reflecting nano and optical technologies, environmental regulat

Al-, Y-, and La-doping effects favoring intrinsic and field induced ferroelectricity in HfO2: A first principles study

Science.gov (United States)

Materlik, Robin; Künneth, Christopher; Falkowski, Max; Mikolajick, Thomas; Kersch, Alfred

2018-04-01

III-valent dopants have shown to be most effective in stabilizing the ferroelectric, crystalline phase in atomic layer deposited, polycrystalline HfO2 thin films. On the other hand, such dopants are commonly used for tetragonal and cubic phase stabilization in ceramic HfO2. This difference in the impact has not been elucidated so far. The prospect is a suitable doping to produce ferroelectric HfO2 ceramics with a technological impact. In this paper, we investigate the impact of Al, Y, and La doping, which have experimentally proven to stabilize the ferroelectric Pca21 phase in HfO2, in a comprehensive first-principles study. Density functional theory calculations reveal the structure, formation energy, and total energy of various defects in HfO2. Most relevant are substitutional electronically compensated defects without oxygen vacancy, substitutional mixed compensated defects paired with a vacancy, and ionically compensated defect complexes containing two substitutional dopants paired with a vacancy. The ferroelectric phase is strongly favored with La and Y in the substitutional defect. The mixed compensated defect favors the ferroelectric phase as well, but the strongly favored cubic phase limits the concentration range for ferroelectricity. We conclude that a reduction of oxygen vacancies should significantly enhance this range in Y doped HfO2 thin films. With Al, the substitutional defect hardly favors the ferroelectric phase before the tetragonal phase becomes strongly favored with the increasing concentration. This could explain the observed field induced ferroelectricity in Al-doped HfO2. Further Al defects are investigated, but do not favor the f-phase such that the current explanation remains incomplete for Al doping. According to the simulation, doping alone shows clear trends, but is insufficient to replace the monoclinic phase as the ground state. To explain this fact, some other mechanism is needed.

The effect of glassfibre, graphite and MoS2 on the tribological performance of a liquid crystalline polymer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dufour, P.R.; de Gee, A.W.J.; Kingma, J.A.; Mens, J.W.M.

1992-01-01

A thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) with a high melting point of approximately 400 °C, unfilled and filled with glassfibre, MoS2 or graphitic carbon was tested in dry sliding contact with steel. Three different test methods were applied, i.e. measurement of coefficient of friction and

Ferroelectric ultrathin perovskite films

Science.gov (United States)

Rappe, Andrew M; Kolpak, Alexie Michelle

2013-12-10

Disclosed herein are perovskite ferroelectric thin-film. Also disclosed are methods of controlling the properties of ferroelectric thin films. These films can be used in a variety materials and devices, such as catalysts and storage media, respectively.

First photoresponsive liquid crystalline materials with small layer shrinkage at the phase transition to the ferroelectric phase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotná, Vladimíra; Hamplová, Věra; Bubnov, Alexej; Kašpar, Miroslav; Glogarová, Milada; Kapernaum, N.; Bezner, S.; Giesselmann, F.

2009-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 23 (2009), s. 3992-3997 ISSN 0959-9428 R&D Projects: GA MŠk MEB050818; GA AV ČR IAA100100710; GA MŠk OC 175; GA AV ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0047 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : photosensitive * liquid crystals * De Vries behaviour * layer shrinkage Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 4.795, year: 2009

Mean-field theory of photoinduced molecular reorientation in azobenzene liquid crystalline side-chain polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, T.G.; Johansen, P.M.

1997-01-01

. The theory provides an explanation for the high long-term stability of the photoinduced anisotropy as well as a theoretical prediction of the temporal behavior of photoinduced birefringence. The theoretical results agree favorably with measurements in the entire range of writing intensities used......A novel mean-field theory of photoinduced reorientation and optical anisotropy in liquid crystalline side-chain polymers is presented and compared with experiments, The reorientation mechanism is based on photoinduced trans cis isomerization and a multidomain model of the material is introduced...

Nanoparticles Doped, Photorefractive Liquid Crystals

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kaczmarek, Malgosia

2005-01-01

...: The main objectives of this exploratory, short project will concern the study of the quality of liquid crystal cells with diluted suspensions of ferroelectric nanoparticles and their photorefractive properties...

Reverse bistable effect in ferroelectric liquid crystal devices with ultra-fast switching at low driving voltage.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Qi; Zhao, Xiaojin; Zhao, Huijie; Chigrinov, V G

2015-05-15

In this Letter, reverse bistable effect with deep-sub-millisecond switching time is first reported in ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) devices using a homogeneous photo-alignment technique. It is indicated by our experimental results that both the anchoring energy and the dielectric property of the FLC's alignment layer is critical for the existence of the reverse bistable effect. In addition, with the derived criteria of the reverse bistable effect, we quantitatively analyze the switching dynamics of the reverse bistable FLC and the transition condition between the traditional bistability and our presented reverse bistability. Moreover, the fabricated FLC device exhibits an ultra-fast switching of ∼160  μs and a high contrast ratio of 1000:1, both of which were measured at a low driving voltage of 11 V. The featured deep-sub-millisecond switching time is really advantageous for our presented reverse bistable FLC devices, which enables a significant quality improvement of the existing optical devices, as well as a wide range of new applications in photonics and display areas.

Atomic force and optical near-field microscopic investigations of polarization holographic gratings in a liquid crystalline azobenzene side-chain polyester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanujam, P.S.; Holme, N.C.R.; Hvilsted, S.

1996-01-01

Atomic force and scanning near-field optical microscopic investigations have been carried out on a polarization holographic grating recorded in an azobenzene side-chain Liquid crystalline polyester. It has been found that immediately following laser irradiation, a topographic surface grating...

Fluorinated tolane and dioxane liquid crystals for ferroelectric display applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu Chuan Dong

1994-05-01

The aim of this thesis was to make low viscosity, low birefringence, large negative dielectric anisotropy liquid-crystalline materials for use in ferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures to be used in high speed display devices. Saturated heterocyclic rings, dioxane and dioxaborinane, were chosen separately to be linked with a difluorophenyl system as the main component of the mesogenic core. In order to optimise the physical properties and to reduce the cost of the chiral materials, the strategy of making dopant-host mixtures was used. In addition to the difluorobiphenyl dioxaborinanes, three types of compounds were prepared possessing difluorophenyl rings and a dioxane ring: (i) difluorophenyl dioxanes and difluorobiphenyl dioxanes with the fluorinated ring in the middle of or at the end of the core; (ii) a number of compounds with linking groups, dimethylene (CH 2 CH 2 ), ester (COO), ethenylene (CH=CH) and ethynylene (C≡C) between adjacent benzene rings or between a dioxane ring and a benzene ring; (iii) difluorobiphenyl dioxanes possessing a chiral aliphatic chain were chosen as chiral dopants whose structure matched those of the host materials. Other compounds which have been synthesised are the difluorotolanes and difluorophenyl-ethynyl compounds, which were targeted because of the low viscosity of the tolane compounds and the negative dielectric anisotropy of the difluorophenyl ring. Fifty-six 2-(2,3-difluorobiphenyl-4'-yl)-1,3-dioxanes (n = 5-9, m = 5-10 or O5-O9; or n = 9, R' = OCH 2 CH(CH 3 )C 4 H 9 ) were prepared. Smectic C and nematic phases were observed for most of the alkyl-alkoxy homologues. Conversely, most of the dialkyl compounds exhibited smectic C, smectic A and nematic phases. The birefringences (Δn) and the dielectric anisotropies (Δε) of a number of materials have been determined. Three 2-(2,3-difluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-5-alkyl-1,3-dioxanes (n = 7, m = O7-O9) were prepared and only exhibit nematic phases. Two difluorophenyl dioxanes were

Novel side-chain liquid crystalline polyester architecture for reversible optical storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvilsted, Søren; Andruzzi, Fulvio; Kulinna, Chrisian

1995-01-01

New side-chain liquid crystalline polyesters have been prepared by melt transesterification of diphenyl tetradecanedioate and a series of mesogenic 2-[omega-[4-[(4-cyanophenyl)azo]phenoxyl] alkyl]-1,3-propanediols, where the alkyl spacer is hexa-, octa-, and decamethylene in turn. The polyesters...... have molecular masses in the range 5000-89 000. Solution C-13 NMR spectroscopy has been employed to identify carbons of polyester repeat units and of both types of end groups. Polyester phases and phase transitions have been investigated in detail by polarizing optical microscopy and differential...... scanning calorimetry for the hexamethylene spacer architecture with different molecular masses. Using FTIR polarization spectroscopy, the segmental orientation in unoriented polyester films induced by argon ion laser irradiation has been followed and an irradiation-dependent order parameter...

LIQUID CRYSTALLINE BEHAVIOR OF HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE ESTERIFIED WITH 4-ALKOXYBENZOIC ACID.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yehia Fahmy

2010-07-01

Full Text Available A series of 4- alkyoxybenzoyloxypropyl cellulose (ABPC-n samples was synthesized via the esterification of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC with 4-alkoxybenzoic acid bearing different numbers of carbon atoms. The molecular structure of the ABPC-n was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR spectroscopy and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The liquid crystalline (LC phases and transitions behaviors were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, polarized light microscopy (PLM, and refractometry. It was found that the glass transition (Tg and clearing (Tc temperatures decrease with increase of the alkoxy chain length. It was observed that the derivatives with an odd number of carbon atoms are non-mesomorphic. This series of ABPC-n polymers exhibit characteristic features of cholesteric LC phases between their glass transition and isotropization temperatures.

Ferroelectric Negative Capacitance Domain Dynamics

OpenAIRE

Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

2017-01-01

Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr$_{0.2}$Ti$_{0.8}$)O$_3$ capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transien...

Ferroelectricity by Bose-Einstein condensation in a quantum magnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, S; Kakihata, K; Sawada, Y; Watanabe, K; Matsumoto, M; Hagiwara, M; Tanaka, H

2016-09-26

The Bose-Einstein condensation is a fascinating phenomenon, which results from quantum statistics for identical particles with an integer spin. Surprising properties, such as superfluidity, vortex quantization or Josephson effect, appear owing to the macroscopic quantum coherence, which spontaneously develops in Bose-Einstein condensates. Realization of Bose-Einstein condensation is not restricted in fluids like liquid helium, a superconducting phase of paired electrons in a metal and laser-cooled dilute alkali atoms. Bosonic quasi-particles like exciton-polariton and magnon in solids-state systems can also undergo Bose-Einstein condensation in certain conditions. Here, we report that the quantum coherence in Bose-Einstein condensate of the magnon quasi particles yields spontaneous electric polarization in the quantum magnet TlCuCl 3 , leading to remarkable magnetoelectric effect. Very soft ferroelectricity is realized as a consequence of the O(2) symmetry breaking by magnon Bose-Einstein condensation. The finding of this ferroelectricity will open a new window to explore multi-functionality of quantum magnets.

Magnetic Field Alignment of PS-P4VP: a Non-Liquid Crystalline Coil-Coil Block Copolymer

Science.gov (United States)

Rokhlenko, Yekaterina; Zhang, Kai; Larson, Steven; Gopalan, Padma; O'Hern, Corey; Osuji, Chinedum

2015-03-01

Magnetic fields provide the ability to control alignment of self-assembled soft materials such as block copolymers. Most prior work in this area has relied on the presence of ordered assemblies of anisotropic liquid crystalline species to ensure sufficient magnetic anisotropy to drive alignment. Recent experiments with poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine), a non-liquid crystalline BCP, however, show field-induced alignment of a lamellar microstructure during cooling across the order-disorder transition. Using in situ x-ray scattering, we examine the roles of field strength and cooling rate on the alignment response of this low MW coil-coil BCP. Alignment is first observed at field strengths as low as 1 Tesla and improves markedly with both increasing field strength and slower cooling. We present a geometric argument to illustrate the origin of a finite, non-trivial magnetic susceptibility anisotropy for highly stretched surface-tethered polymer chains and corroborate this using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We rationalize the magnetic field response of the system in terms of the mobility afforded by the absence of entanglements, the intrinsic anisotropy resulting from the stretched polymer chains and sterically constrained conjugated rings, and the large grain size in these low molecular weight materials.

Ferroelectric materials and their applications

CERN Document Server

Xu, Y

2013-01-01

This book presents the basic physical properties, structure, fabrication methods and applications of ferroelectric materials. These are widely used in various devices, such as piezoelectric/electrostrictive transducers and actuators, pyroelectric infrared detectors, optical integrated circuits, optical data storage, display devices, etc. The ferroelectric materials described in this book include a relatively complete list of practical and promising ferroelectric single crystals, bulk ceramics and thin films. Included are perovskite-type, lithium niobate, tungsten-bronze-type, water-soluable

Active Mesogenic Droplets: Impact of Liquid Crystallinity and Collective Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Bahr, Christian

Droplets of common mesogenic compounds show a self-propelled motion when immersed in aqueous solutions containing ionic surfactants at concentrations well above the critical micelle concentration. After introducing some general properties of this type of artificial microswimmer, we focus on two topics: the influence of liquid crystallinity on the swimming behavior and the collective behavior of ensembles of a larger number of droplets. The mesogenic properties are not essential for the basic mechanism of self-propulsion, nevertheless they considerably influence the swimming behavior of the droplets. For instance, the shape of the trajectories strongly depends on whether the droplets are in the nematic or isotropic state. The droplet swimmers are also ideally suited for the study of collective behavior: Microfluidics enables the generation of large numbers of identical swimmers and we can tune their buoyancy. We report on the collective behavior in three-dimensional environments. Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SPP 1726 ``Microswimmers'').

On the “Tertiary Structure” of Poly-Carbenes; Self-Assembly of sp3-Carbon-Based Polymers into Liquid-Crystalline Aggregates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Franssen, N.G.M.; Ensing, B.; Hegde, M.; Dingemans, T.J.; Norder, B.; Picken, S.J.; Alberda van Ekenstein, G.O.R.; van Eck, E.R.H.; Elemans, J.A.A.W; Vis, M.; Reek, J.N.H.; de Bruin, B.

2013-01-01

The self-assembly of poly(ethylidene acetate) (st-PEA) into van der Waals-stabilized liquid-crystalline (LC) aggregates is reported. The LC behavior of these materials is unexpected, and unusual for flexible sp(3)-carbon backbone polymers. Although the dense packing of polar ester functionalities

Sandwich-cell-type bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells utilizing liquid crystalline phthalocyanine

Science.gov (United States)

Nakata, Yuya; Usui, Toshiki; Nishikawa, Yuki; Nekelson, Fabien; Shimizu, Yo; Fujii, Akihiko; Ozaki, Masanori

2018-03-01

Sandwich-cell-type bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells utilizing the liquid crystalline phthalocyanine, 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine (C6PcH2), have been fabricated and their photovoltaic properties have been studied. The short-circuit current (J SC) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) depended on the blend ratio of donor and acceptor molecules, and the maximum performance, such as J SC of 3.4 mA/cm2 and PCE of 0.67%, was demonstrated, when the blend ratio of the acceptor was 10 mol %. The photovoltaic properties were discussed by taking the relationship between the column axis direction of C6PcH2 and the carrier mobility in the active layer into consideration.

Azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline polyesters with outstanding optical storage properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvilsted, Søren; Pedersen, M; Holme, NCR

1998-01-01

A flexible azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline (SCLC) polyester architecture employed for reversible optical storage is described. The modular design allows four structural parameters to be individually modified. These parameters: i- the methylene side-chain spacer length, ii- the substituent......,000 are routinely obtained by melt transesterification of the novel diols and selected diacid precursors (parameter iii). Prominent storage features include no prealignment of thin SCLC polyester films prior to the writing process, and sensitivity in a broad laser wavelength window (415-532 nm). Additionally...... sign of fatigue. The non-destructive read out is performed with red light (600-750 nm). Finally, erasing the information can be achieved by heating the polyester film to 80 degrees C or irradiating it briefly with UV-light. In the latter case at least 10,000 write, read and erase cycles are possible...

Ferroelectric Electron Emission Principles and Technology

CERN Document Server

Riege, H

1997-01-01

The spontaneous electrical polarization of ferroelectric materials can be changed either by reversal or by phase transition from a ferroelectric into a non-ferroelectric state or vice versa. If spontaneous polarization changes are induced with fast heat, mechanical pressure, laser or electric field pulses on a submicrosecond time scale, strong uncompensated surface charge densities and related polarization fields are generated, which may lead to the intense self-emission of electrons from the negatively charged free surface areas of the ferroelectric sample. Hence, electron guns can be built with extraction-field-free ferroelectric cathodes, which may be easily separated from the high-field regions of post-accelerating gap structures. The intensity, the energy, the temporal and spatial distribution, and the repetitition rate of the emitted electron beams can be controlled within wide limits via the excitation pulses and external focusing and accelerating electromagnetic fields. The technological advantages an...

Ferroelectricity in undoped hafnium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polakowski, Patrick; Müller, Johannes

2015-01-01

We report the observation of ferroelectric characteristics in undoped hafnium oxide thin films in a thickness range of 4–20 nm. The undoped films were fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and embedded into titanium nitride based metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors for electrical evaluation. Structural as well as electrical evidence for the appearance of a ferroelectric phase in pure hafnium oxide was collected with respect to film thickness and thermal budget applied during titanium nitride electrode formation. Using grazing incidence X-Ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis, we observed an enhanced suppression of the monoclinic phase fraction in favor of an orthorhombic, potentially, ferroelectric phase with decreasing thickness/grain size and for a titanium nitride electrode formation below crystallization temperature. The electrical presence of ferroelectricity was confirmed using polarization measurements. A remanent polarization P r of up to 10 μC cm −2 as well as a read/write endurance of 1.6 × 10 5 cycles was measured for the pure oxide. The experimental results reported here strongly support the intrinsic nature of the ferroelectric phase in hafnium oxide and expand its applicability beyond the doped systems

Ferroelectric negative capacitance domain dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

2018-05-01

Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transient negative capacitance is shown to originate from reverse domain nucleation and unrestricted domain growth. However, with the onset of domain coalescence, the capacitance becomes positive again. The persistence of the negative capacitance state is therefore limited by the speed of domain wall motion. By changing the applied electric field, capacitor area or external resistance, this domain wall velocity can be varied predictably over several orders of magnitude. Additionally, detailed insights into the intrinsic material properties of the ferroelectric are obtainable through these measurements. A new method for reliable extraction of the average negative capacitance of the ferroelectric is presented. Furthermore, a simple analytical model is developed, which accurately describes the negative capacitance transient time as a function of the material properties and the experimental boundary conditions.

Orientational and structural properties of ferroelectric liquid crystal with broad temperature range of the SmC* phase by .sup.13./sup.C NMR, x-ray scattering and dielectric spectroscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubnov, Alexej M.; Domenici, V.; Hamplová, Věra; Kašpar, Miroslav; Veracini, C.A.; Glogarová, Milada

2009-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 3 (2009), 035102/1-035102/8 ISSN 0953-8984 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0047; GA ČR GA202/05/0431; GA MŠk OC 175; GA AV ČR IAA100100710 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : ferroelectric liquid crystal * high spontaneous polarization * 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance * x-ray scattering * dielectric spectroscopy * viscosity Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.964, year: 2009

Studies of switching structures in ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pabla, D.S.

1998-01-01

The fast, bistable electro-optic response of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) devices has made them prime candidates for use in display applications. However, before these applications can become widely commercially viable a number of key issues relating to the switching within these devices need to be addressed. One of these is related to the fact that while there has been much work done on modelling the switching process in FLC devices, with some moderate success, in the main these models have not accurately accounted for the physical processes taking place. In order to rectify this situation we present a simple, multi-variable approach which includes important physical phenomenon such as stressed states, partial and domain switching. Through using this model we learn more about the dynamic molecular profiles which may exist in devices, and use this as a springboard to undertake a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of the molecular profiles of chevron structures under different types of addressing pulses and voltages. This entails modelling the dynamic profiles using a simple non flow reorientation theory and comparing these simulations directly with experimental data obtained through the use of two different optical characterisation techniques. Our findings show quite conclusively that for monopolar addressing within low and high voltage regimes and for low voltage bipolar pulses during the early stages of switching, the dynamic reorientation near the surfaces and central regions of the device lags the reorientation within the bulk. The reverse however being true for the high voltage bipolar addressing case. These results for chevron structures differ from previous theoretical predictions made by others using equations derived from the flow coupled chiral smectic C continuum theory. These flow coupled simulations however, refer to reorientation in bookshelf structures rather than the chevron type structures thought to exist in FLC devices. As

Studies of switching structures in ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pabla, D.S

1998-07-01

The fast, bistable electro-optic response of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) devices has made them prime candidates for use in display applications. However, before these applications can become widely commercially viable a number of key issues relating to the switching within these devices need to be addressed. One of these is related to the fact that while there has been much work done on modelling the switching process in FLC devices, with some moderate success, in the main these models have not accurately accounted for the physical processes taking place. In order to rectify this situation we present a simple, multi-variable approach which includes important physical phenomenon such as stressed states, partial and domain switching. Through using this model we learn more about the dynamic molecular profiles which may exist in devices, and use this as a springboard to undertake a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of the molecular profiles of chevron structures under different types of addressing pulses and voltages. This entails modelling the dynamic profiles using a simple non flow reorientation theory and comparing these simulations directly with experimental data obtained through the use of two different optical characterisation techniques. Our findings show quite conclusively that for monopolar addressing within low and high voltage regimes and for low voltage bipolar pulses during the early stages of switching, the dynamic reorientation near the surfaces and central regions of the device lags the reorientation within the bulk. The reverse however being true for the high voltage bipolar addressing case. These results for chevron structures differ from previous theoretical predictions made by others using equations derived from the flow coupled chiral smectic C continuum theory. These flow coupled simulations however, refer to reorientation in bookshelf structures rather than the chevron type structures thought to exist in FLC devices. As

Electrical characterisation of ferroelectric field effect transistors based on ferroelectric HfO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurchuk, Ekaterina

2015-01-01

Ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET) memories based on a new type of ferroelectric material (silicon doped hafnium oxide) were studied within the scope of the present work. Utilisation of silicon doped hafnium oxide (Si:HfO 2 ) thin films instead of conventional perovskite ferroelectrics as a functional layer in FeFETs provides compatibility to the CMOS process as well as improved device scalability. The influence of different process parameters on the properties of Si:HfO 2 thin films was analysed in order to gain better insight into the occurrence of ferroelectricity in this system. A subsequent examination of the potential of this material as well as its possible limitations with the respect to the application in non-volatile memories followed. The Si:HfO 2 -based ferroelectric transistors that were fully integrated into the state-of-the-art high-k metal gate CMOS technology were studied in this work for the first time. The memory performance of these devices scaled down to 28 nm gate length was investigated. Special attention was paid to the charge trapping phenomenon shown to significantly affect the device behaviour.

Ferroelectric domain engineering by focused infrared femtosecond pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xin; Shvedov, Vladlen; Sheng, Yan, E-mail: yan.sheng@anu.edu.au [Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 (Australia); Karpinski, Pawel [Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 (Australia); Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego, Wroclaw (Poland); Koynov, Kaloian [Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, D-55128 Mainz (Germany); Wang, Bingxia; Trull, Jose; Cojocaru, Crina [Departament de Fisica i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Rambla Sant Nebridi, 08222 Terrassa, Barcelona (Spain); Krolikowski, Wieslaw [Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 (Australia); Texas A& M University at Qatar, Doha (Qatar)

2015-10-05

We demonstrate infrared femtosecond laser-induced inversion of ferroelectric domains. This process can be realised solely by using tightly focused laser pulses without application of any electric field prior to, in conjunction with, or subsequent to the laser irradiation. As most ferroelectric crystals like LiNbO{sub 3}, LiTaO{sub 3}, and KTiOPO{sub 4} are transparent in the infrared, this optical poling method allows one to form ferroelectric domain patterns much deeper inside a ferroelectric crystal than by using ultraviolet light and hence can be used to fabricate practical devices. We also propose in situ diagnostics of the ferroelectric domain inversion process by monitoring the Čerenkov second harmonic signal, which is sensitive to the appearance of ferroelectric domain walls.

Nanoscale organic ferroelectric resistive switches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khikhlovskyi, V.; Wang, R.; Breemen, A.J.J.M. van; Gelinck, G.H.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Kemerink, M.

2014-01-01

Organic ferroelectric resistive switches function by grace of nanoscale phase separation in a blend of a semiconducting and a ferroelectric polymer that is sandwiched between metallic electrodes. In this work, various scanning probe techniques are combined with numerical modeling to unravel their

Spin-driven pyroelectricity in Ni{sub 3}TeO{sub 6} without ferroelectric signatures of the transition at Neel temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, L.; Komarek, A.C. [Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden (Germany); Du, C.H. [Department of Physics, Tamkang University, Tamsui, Taiwan (China)

2017-07-15

Here we report on dielectric studies on Ni{sub 3}TeO{sub 6}. We confirm the spin-driven pyroelectric transition at the Neel temperature (T{sub N}) of ∝52.5 K. The measurement of single crystalline and polycrystalline samples excludes a ferroelectric nature of the transition at T{sub N} in this compound. The excellent pyroelectric properties without any intrinsic ferroelectric hysteresis make Ni{sub 3}TeO{sub 6} appropriate for applications in future devices. Pyroelectric measurements on our Ni{sub 3}TeO{sub 6} single crystals. The polarization that appears on cooling through T{sub N} can not be inverted by opposite poling fields (applied when cooling from above T{sub N} to base temperature). (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Stability of equilibrium states in finite samples of smectic C* liquid crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, I W

2005-01-01

Equilibrium solutions for a sample of ferroelectric smectic C (SmC*) liquid crystal in the 'bookshelf' geometry under the influence of a tilted electric field will be presented. A linear stability criterion is identified and used to confirm stability for typical materials possessing either positive or negative dielectric anisotropy. The theoretical response times for perturbations to the equilibrium solutions are calculated numerically and found to be consistent with estimates for response times in ferroelectric smectic C liquid crystals reported elsewhere in the literature for non-tilted fields

Hydrogen bonding discotic liquid crystals: Synthesis, self-assembly, and molecular recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Bushey, Mark Lawrence

The triamides shown below form discotic liquid crystalline phases with intermolecular hydrogen bonding stabilizing the columnar structure, A and B. The mesomorphic orientations of the columns are dependent on the amide side chain. Three mesophasic orientations are described: columns aligned perpendicular to the surface, columns aligned parallel to the surface in a radial pattern, and columns aligned parallel to the surface in a parallel or aligned pattern. The aggregation of the tridodecyloxy-triamides show N-H shifting in the IR at elevated temperatures, an indication that hydrogen bonding is important in the association of liquid crystalline mesophases. Powder X-ray diffraction studies indicate packing of the columns into a hexagonal lattice.* Studies on triamides with chiral side chains result in molecules stacking into columns displaying a helical pitch. In concentrated solutions of dodecane, molecules with chiral side chains display behavior consistent with chiral nematic liquid crystals; a super helical packing of the chiral columns. These superhelical packed systems show temperature dependent selective reflection of visible light and fingerprint textures. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirms in sub-monolayer films, that molecules preferring an edge-on orientation form long columns on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), those that prefer a face-on orientation form large amorphous domains. Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) images of the domains of molecules in the edge-on orientation provides no discernible polarity, imaging of the domains of molecules in the face-on orientation indicates a negative polar orientation. Scanning probe measurements (SPM) of the tridodecynyl-triamide have shown similar edge-on orientations of other tridodecyloxy-triamides. Powder X-ray diffraction of these liquid crystalline phases shows a hexagonal packing of the columnar assembly. Electro-optic switching studies indicate a piezoelectric switching mechanism, possibly

Photoelectron spectroscopic and microspectroscopic probes of ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Tǎnase, Liviu C.; Abramiuc, Laura E.; Teodorescu, Cristian M.

2017-12-01

This contribution is a review of recent aspects connected with photoelectron spectroscopy of free ferroelectric surfaces, metals interfaced with these surfaces, graphene-like layers together with some exemplifications concerning molecular adsorption, dissociations and desorptions occurring from ferroelectrics. Standard photoelectron spectroscopy is used nowadays in correlation with other characterization techniques, such as piezoresponse force microscopy, high resolution transmission electron spectroscopy, and ferroelectric hysteresis cycles. In this work we will concentrate mainly on photoelectron spectroscopy and spectro-microscopy characterization of ferroelectric thin films, starting from atomically clean ferroelectric surfaces of lead zirco-titanate, then going towards heterostructures using this material in combination with graphene-like carbon layers or with metals. Concepts involving charge accumulation and depolarization near surface will be revisited by taking into account the newest findings in this area.

New theories for smectic and nematic liquid-crystal polymers: Backbone LCPs [liquid crystalline polymers] and their mixtures and side-chain LCPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowell, F.

1987-01-01

A summary of predictions and explanations from statistical-physics theories for both backbone and side-chain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) and for mixtures with backbone LCPs are presented. Trends in the thermodynamic and molecular ordering properties have been calculated as a function of pressure, density, temperature, and molecule chemical structures (including degree of polymerization and the following properties of the chemical structures of the repeat units: lengths and shapes, intra-chain rotation energies, dipole moments, site-site polarizabilities and Lennard-Jones potentials, etc.) in nematic and multiple smectic-A LC phases and in the isotropic liquid phase. The theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with existing experimental data. These theories can also be applied to combined LCPs. Since these theories have no ad hoc or arbitrarily adjustable parameters, these theories can be used to design new LCPs and new solvents as well as to predict and explain properties. 27 refs., 4 tabs

Ferroelectric capacitor with reduced imprint

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Jr., Joseph T.; Warren, William L.; Tuttle, Bruce A.; Dimos, Duane B.; Pike, Gordon E.

1997-01-01

An improved ferroelectric capacitor exhibiting reduced imprint effects in comparison to prior art capacitors. A capacitor according to the present invention includes top and bottom electrodes and a ferroelectric layer sandwiched between the top and bottom electrodes, the ferroelectric layer comprising a perovskite structure of the chemical composition ABO.sub.3 wherein the B-site comprises first and second elements and a dopant element that has an oxidation state greater than +4. The concentration of the dopant is sufficient to reduce shifts in the coercive voltage of the capacitor with time. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ferroelectric element comprises Pb in the A-site, and the first and second elements are Zr and Ti, respectively. The preferred dopant is chosen from the group consisting of Niobium, Tantalum, and Tungsten. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dopant occupies between 1 and 8% of the B-sites.

Probing the Texture of the Calamitic Liquid Crystalline Dimer of 4-(4-Pentenyloxybenzoic Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maher A. Qaddoura

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The liquid crystalline dimer of 4-(4-pentenyloxybenzoic acid, a member of the n-alkoxybenzoic acid homologous series, was synthesized using potassium carbonate supported on alumina as catalyst. The acid dimer complex exhibited three mesophases; identified as nematic, smectic X1 and smectic X2. Phase transition temperatures and the corresponding enthalpies were recorded using differential scanning calorimetry upon both heating and cooling. The mesophases were identified by detailed texture observations by variable temperature polarized light microscopy. The nematic phase was distinguished by a fluid Schlieren texture and defect points (four and two brushes while the smectic phases were distinguished by rigid marble and mosaic textures, respectively.

Flexible graphene–PZT ferroelectric nonvolatile memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wonho; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Kahya, Orhan; Toh, Chee Tat; Özyilmaz, Barbaros

2013-01-01

We report the fabrication of a flexible graphene-based nonvolatile memory device using Pb(Zr 0.35 ,Ti 0.65 )O 3 (PZT) as the ferroelectric material. The graphene and PZT ferroelectric layers were deposited using chemical vapor deposition and sol–gel methods, respectively. Such PZT films show a high remnant polarization (P r ) of 30 μC cm −2 and a coercive voltage (V c ) of 3.5 V under a voltage loop over ±11 V. The graphene–PZT ferroelectric nonvolatile memory on a plastic substrate displayed an on/off current ratio of 6.7, a memory window of 6 V and reliable operation. In addition, the device showed one order of magnitude lower operation voltage range than organic-based ferroelectric nonvolatile memory after removing the anti-ferroelectric behavior incorporating an electrolyte solution. The devices showed robust operation in bent states of bending radii up to 9 mm and in cycling tests of 200 times. The devices exhibited remarkable mechanical properties and were readily integrated with plastic substrates for the production of flexible circuits. (paper)

Flexible graphene-PZT ferroelectric nonvolatile memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Wonho; Kahya, Orhan; Toh, Chee Tat; Ozyilmaz, Barbaros; Ahn, Jong-Hyun

2013-11-29

We report the fabrication of a flexible graphene-based nonvolatile memory device using Pb(Zr0.35,Ti0.65)O3 (PZT) as the ferroelectric material. The graphene and PZT ferroelectric layers were deposited using chemical vapor deposition and sol–gel methods, respectively. Such PZT films show a high remnant polarization (Pr) of 30 μC cm−2 and a coercive voltage (Vc) of 3.5 V under a voltage loop over ±11 V. The graphene–PZT ferroelectric nonvolatile memory on a plastic substrate displayed an on/off current ratio of 6.7, a memory window of 6 V and reliable operation. In addition, the device showed one order of magnitude lower operation voltage range than organic-based ferroelectric nonvolatile memory after removing the anti-ferroelectric behavior incorporating an electrolyte solution. The devices showed robust operation in bent states of bending radii up to 9 mm and in cycling tests of 200 times. The devices exhibited remarkable mechanical properties and were readily integrated with plastic substrates for the production of flexible circuits.

Effect of doxorubicin on the order and dynamics of the acyl chains of anionic and zwitterionic phospholipids in liquid-crystalline mixed model membranes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, de F.A.; Nicolaij, K.; Kruijff, de B.

1992-01-01

We investigated the effect of the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin on the order of the acyl chains in liquid-crystalline mixed bilayers consisting of dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) or -phosphatidic acid (DOPA), and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) or - hosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). Previous

Stability of equilibrium states in finite samples of smectic C* liquid crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, I W [Department of Mathematics, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, 26 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XH (United Kingdom)

2005-03-04

Equilibrium solutions for a sample of ferroelectric smectic C (SmC*) liquid crystal in the 'bookshelf' geometry under the influence of a tilted electric field will be presented. A linear stability criterion is identified and used to confirm stability for typical materials possessing either positive or negative dielectric anisotropy. The theoretical response times for perturbations to the equilibrium solutions are calculated numerically and found to be consistent with estimates for response times in ferroelectric smectic C liquid crystals reported elsewhere in the literature for non-tilted fields.

Electrical characterisation of ferroelectric field effect transistors based on ferroelectric HfO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yurchuk, Ekaterina

2015-02-06

Ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET) memories based on a new type of ferroelectric material (silicon doped hafnium oxide) were studied within the scope of the present work. Utilisation of silicon doped hafnium oxide (Si:HfO{sub 2}) thin films instead of conventional perovskite ferroelectrics as a functional layer in FeFETs provides compatibility to the CMOS process as well as improved device scalability. The influence of different process parameters on the properties of Si:HfO{sub 2} thin films was analysed in order to gain better insight into the occurrence of ferroelectricity in this system. A subsequent examination of the potential of this material as well as its possible limitations with the respect to the application in non-volatile memories followed. The Si:HfO{sub 2}-based ferroelectric transistors that were fully integrated into the state-of-the-art high-k metal gate CMOS technology were studied in this work for the first time. The memory performance of these devices scaled down to 28 nm gate length was investigated. Special attention was paid to the charge trapping phenomenon shown to significantly affect the device behaviour.

Some problems of the statistical theory of polymeric lyotropic liquid crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosberg, A.Yu.; Khokhlov, A.R.

1980-06-01

In this article we consider some topics of the statistical physics of liquid-crystalline phase in the solutions of stiff chain macromolecules. Among these topics are: the problem of the phase diagram for the liquid-crystalline transition in the solutions of completely stiff macromolecules (rigid rods); conditions of formation of the liquid-crystalline phase in the solutions of semiflexible macromolecules; possibility of the intramolecular liquid-crystalline ordering in semiflexible macromolecules; structure of intramolecular liquid crystals and dependence of the properties of the liquid-crystalline phase on the microstructure of the polymer chain. (author)

Negative capacitance in a ferroelectric capacitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Asif Islam; Chatterjee, Korok; Wang, Brian; Drapcho, Steven; You, Long; Serrao, Claudy; Bakaul, Saidur Rahman; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Salahuddin, Sayeef

2015-02-01

The Boltzmann distribution of electrons poses a fundamental barrier to lowering energy dissipation in conventional electronics, often termed as Boltzmann Tyranny. Negative capacitance in ferroelectric materials, which stems from the stored energy of a phase transition, could provide a solution, but a direct measurement of negative capacitance has so far been elusive. Here, we report the observation of negative capacitance in a thin, epitaxial ferroelectric film. When a voltage pulse is applied, the voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor is found to be decreasing with time--in exactly the opposite direction to which voltage for a regular capacitor should change. Analysis of this 'inductance'-like behaviour from a capacitor presents an unprecedented insight into the intrinsic energy profile of the ferroelectric material and could pave the way for completely new applications.

Mesomorphous versus traces of crystallinity: The itraconazole example

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atassi, Faraj, E-mail: fatassi@yahoo.com; Behme, Robert J.; Patel, Phenil J.

2013-12-20

Highlights: • Characterizing partially disordered pharmaceuticals is very challenging due to the fact that more than one discrete disordered phase can be present. • Dynamic mechanical analysis and dielectric analysis are extremely helpful in characterizing pharmaceutical mesophases (liquid crystals). • Thermotropic pharmaceutical mesophases, often mistaken as amorphous or partially crystalline, can show different phases of liquid crystallinity at different temperature. • Liquid crystalline pharmaceutical materials often show amorphous behavior along with other characteristics specific to mesomorphous materials. • The thermal and mechanical history of pharmaceutical disordered samples has a significant effect on their phase composition. - Abstract: Characterizing disordered pharmaceutical materials can be challenging, especially materials with partially disordered structures that lose one or two directional order (mesophases) and do not fit the traditional characterization categories of amorphous, crystalline or a combination of the two. Itraconazole, an antifungal agent, was chosen as a model compound that, when quench cooled, exhibits atypical disordered structure. Five different analytical tools were used to map out the molecular structure of this material and how it changes with changing temperature. X-ray diffraction showed some remnant crystallinity while dielectric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, DSC and hot stage microscopy gave more detailed molecular structure of the disordered material and explained all temperature related structural changes. The characterization of mesomorphous Itraconazole described here will help characterize a wide range of pharmaceuticals that exhibit thermotropic (temperature induced) mesomorphism at the molecular level.

Mesomorphous versus traces of crystallinity: The itraconazole example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atassi, Faraj; Behme, Robert J.; Patel, Phenil J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Characterizing partially disordered pharmaceuticals is very challenging due to the fact that more than one discrete disordered phase can be present. • Dynamic mechanical analysis and dielectric analysis are extremely helpful in characterizing pharmaceutical mesophases (liquid crystals). • Thermotropic pharmaceutical mesophases, often mistaken as amorphous or partially crystalline, can show different phases of liquid crystallinity at different temperature. • Liquid crystalline pharmaceutical materials often show amorphous behavior along with other characteristics specific to mesomorphous materials. • The thermal and mechanical history of pharmaceutical disordered samples has a significant effect on their phase composition. - Abstract: Characterizing disordered pharmaceutical materials can be challenging, especially materials with partially disordered structures that lose one or two directional order (mesophases) and do not fit the traditional characterization categories of amorphous, crystalline or a combination of the two. Itraconazole, an antifungal agent, was chosen as a model compound that, when quench cooled, exhibits atypical disordered structure. Five different analytical tools were used to map out the molecular structure of this material and how it changes with changing temperature. X-ray diffraction showed some remnant crystallinity while dielectric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, DSC and hot stage microscopy gave more detailed molecular structure of the disordered material and explained all temperature related structural changes. The characterization of mesomorphous Itraconazole described here will help characterize a wide range of pharmaceuticals that exhibit thermotropic (temperature induced) mesomorphism at the molecular level

Effect of metallic silver nanoparticles on the alignment and relaxation behaviour of liquid crystalline material in smectic C* phase

Science.gov (United States)

Vimal, Tripti; Kumar Gupta, Swadesh; Katiyar, Rohit; Srivastava, Atul; Czerwinski, Michal; Krup, Katarzyna; Kumar, Sandeep; Manohar, Rajiv

2017-09-01

The influence of silver nanoparticles dispersed in a Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal (FLC) on the properties of the resultant composite system has been investigated by thermal, electro-optical, and dielectric methods. We show that the concentration of thiol capped silver nanoparticles is a critical factor in governing the alignment of nanoparticles (NPs) in the host FLC. The orientation of NPs in composite samples affects the ordering of the LC (Liquid Crystal) phase and consequently changes the various phase transition temperatures of the host LC. Formation of self-assembled 2D (two dimensional) arrays of nanoparticles is observed for high concentration of dopant in the LC, oriented perpendicular to the direction of rubbing. We propose that the molecular interaction between the thiol capped NPs and LC molecules is the key factor behind such an arrangement of NPs. Orientation of NPs has affected the relaxation behaviour and various other material parameters, significantly. A noteworthy change in DC conductivity articulates our proposed idea of the formation of 2D array of NPs perpendicular to the direction of rubbing. This comprehensive study endorses the importance of dopant concentration in modifying the properties of the host LC material.

Polarization switching detection method using a ferroelectric liquid crystal for dichroic atomic vapor laser lock frequency stabilization techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Dudzik, Grzegorz; Rzepka, Janusz; Abramski, Krzysztof M

2015-04-01

We present a concept of the polarization switching detection method implemented for frequency-stabilized lasers, called the polarization switching dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (PSDAVLL) technique. It is a combination of the well-known dichroic atomic vapor laser lock method for laser frequency stabilization with a synchronous detection system based on the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC).The SSFLC is a polarization switch and quarter wave-plate component. This technique provides a 9.6 dB better dynamic range ratio (DNR) than the well-known two-photodiode detection configuration known as the balanced polarimeter. This paper describes the proposed method used practically in the VCSEL laser frequency stabilization system. The applied PSDAVLL method has allowed us to obtain a frequency stability of 2.7×10⁻⁹ and a reproducibility of 1.2×10⁻⁸, with a DNR of detected signals of around 81 dB. It has been shown that PSDAVLL might be successfully used as a method for spectra-stable laser sources.

Characterization Of Graphene-Ferroelectric Superlattice Hybrid Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuf, Mohammed; Du, Xu; Dawber, Matthew

2013-03-01

Ferroelectric materials possess a spontaneous electrical polarization, which can be controlled by an electric field. A good interface between ferroelectric surface and graphene sheets can introduce a new generation of multifunctional devices, in which the ferroelectric material can be used to control the properties of graphene. In our approach, problems encountered in previous efforts to combine ferroelectric/carbon systems are overcome by the use of artificially layered superlattice materials grown in the form of epitaxial thin films. In these materials the phase transition temperature and dielectric response of the material can be tailored, allowing us to avoid polarization screening by surface absorbates, whilst maintaining an atomically smooth surface and optimal charge doping properties. Using ferroelectric PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices, we have shown ultra-low-voltage operation of graphene field effect devices within +/- 1 V at room temperature. The switching of the graphene field effect transistors is characterized by pronounced resistance hysteresis, suitable for ultra-fast non-volatile electronics. Low temperature characterization confirmed that the coercive field required for the ferroelectric domain switching increases significantly with decreasing temperatures. National Science Foundation (NSF) (grant number 1105202)

Three-dimensional, time-resolved profiling of ferroelectric domain wall dynamics by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haussmann, Alexander; Schmidt, Sebastian; Wehmeier, Lukas; Eng, Lukas M.; Kirsten, Lars; Cimalla, Peter; Koch, Edmund

2017-01-01

We apply here spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for the precise detection and temporal tracking of ferroelectric domain walls (DWs) in magnesium-doped periodically poled lithium niobate (Mg:PPLN). We reproducibly map static DWs at an axial (depth) resolution down to ∝ 0.6 μm, being located up to 0.5 mm well inside the single crystalline Mg:PPLN sample. We show that a full 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the DW geometry is possible from the collected data, when applying a special algorithm that accounts for the nonlinear optical dispersion of the material. Our OCT investigation provides valuable reference information on the DWs' polarization charge distribution, which is known to be the key to the electrical conductivity of ferroelectric DWs in such systems. Hence, we carefully analyze the SD-OCT signal dependence both when varying the direction of incident polarization, and when applying electrical fields along the polar axis. Surprisingly, the large backreflection intensities recorded under extraordinary polarization are not affected by any electrical field, at least for field strengths below the switching threshold, while no significant signals above noise floor are detected under ordinary polarization. Finally, we employed the high-speed SD-OCT setup for the real-time DW tracking upon ferroelectric domain switching under high external fields. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Three-dimensional, time-resolved profiling of ferroelectric domain wall dynamics by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haussmann, Alexander; Schmidt, Sebastian; Wehmeier, Lukas; Eng, Lukas M. [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Institute of Applied Physics and Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Dresden (Germany); Kirsten, Lars; Cimalla, Peter; Koch, Edmund [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Clinical Sensoring and Monitoring, Dresden (Germany)

2017-08-15

We apply here spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for the precise detection and temporal tracking of ferroelectric domain walls (DWs) in magnesium-doped periodically poled lithium niobate (Mg:PPLN). We reproducibly map static DWs at an axial (depth) resolution down to ∝ 0.6 μm, being located up to 0.5 mm well inside the single crystalline Mg:PPLN sample. We show that a full 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the DW geometry is possible from the collected data, when applying a special algorithm that accounts for the nonlinear optical dispersion of the material. Our OCT investigation provides valuable reference information on the DWs' polarization charge distribution, which is known to be the key to the electrical conductivity of ferroelectric DWs in such systems. Hence, we carefully analyze the SD-OCT signal dependence both when varying the direction of incident polarization, and when applying electrical fields along the polar axis. Surprisingly, the large backreflection intensities recorded under extraordinary polarization are not affected by any electrical field, at least for field strengths below the switching threshold, while no significant signals above noise floor are detected under ordinary polarization. Finally, we employed the high-speed SD-OCT setup for the real-time DW tracking upon ferroelectric domain switching under high external fields. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Self-assembled liquid crystalline nanoparticles as a novel ophthalmic delivery system for dexamethasone: Improving preocular retention and ocular bioavailability.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Li; Han, Shun; Shen, Jinqiu; Zhu, Jiabi; Zhu, Chunliu; Zhang, Xinxin; Gan, Yong

2010-08-30

The object of this study was to design novel self-assembled liquid crystalline nanoparticles (cubosomes) as an ophthalmic delivery system for dexamethasone (DEX) to improve its preocular retention and ocular bioavailability. DEX cubosome particles were produced by fragmenting a cubic crystalline phase of monoolein and water in the presence of stabilizer Poloxamer 407. Small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXR) profiles revealed its internal structure as Pn3m space group, indicating the diamond cubic phase. In vitro, the apparent permeability coefficient of DEX administered in cubosomes exhibited a 4.5-fold (F1) and 3.5-fold (F2) increase compared to that of Dex-Na phosphate eye drops. Preocular retention studies revealed that the retention of cubosomes was significantly longer than that of solution and carbopol gel, with AUC(0-->180min) of Rh B cubosomes being 2-3-fold higher than that of the other two formulations. In vivo pharmacokinetics in aqueous humor was evaluated by microdialysis, which indicated a 1.8-fold (F1) increase in AUC(0-->240min) of DEX administered in cubosomes relative to that of Dex-Na phosphate eye drops, with about an 8-fold increase compared to that of DEX suspension. Corneal cross-sections after incubation with DEX cubosomes demonstrated an unaffected corneal structure and tissue integrity, which indicated the good biocompatibility of DEX cubosomes. In conclusion, self-assembled liquid crystalline nanoparticles might represent a promising vehicle for effective ocular drug delivery. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles containing a polysaccharide from Ulva fasciata with potent antihyperlipidaemic activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azza A. Matloub

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The present study involves the preparation of cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (cubsomes for liver targeting to assess the potential of a formulated bioactive polysaccharide isolated from the hot aqueous extract of Ulva fasciata as an alternative natural agent with anti-hyperlipidaemic activity. Cubosomal nanoparticles were prepared by disrupting the cubic gel phase of the polysaccharide and water in the presence of a surfactant. Different lipid matrices and stabilizers were tested. All the formulations were in the nanosize range and showed sufficient negative charge to inhibit the aggregation of the cubosomes. Drug entrapment efficiencies (EEs% were determined and in vitro release studies were performed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM and differential scanning calorimetry were used to analyze the loaded cubosomal nanoparticles containing glyceryl monostearate (GMO 2.25 g, poloxamer 407 (0.25 g and 50 mg of the polysaccharide. A preclinical study comparing the cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles containing polysaccharide to fluvastatin as a reference drug in hyperlipidaemic rats was conducted. The rats treated with the polysaccharide- loaded cubosomes showed significant decreases in total cholesterol (TC, triglycerides (TG and total lipid (TL compared to the untreated HL rats. In addition, oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers were measured in the HL rats. Compared to the untreated HL rats, the cubosome treated rats showed a significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA, whereas insignificant changes were detected in nitric oxide (NO, glutathione (GSH levels and total antioxidant capacity (TAC. Further, vascular and intercellular adhesion molecules (VCAM, ICAM, and myeloperoxidase were demonstrated. A histopathological examination was conducted to study the alterations in histopathological lesions and to document the biochemical results. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the superiority of using a natural lipid

Improper ferroelectrics as high-efficiency energy conversion materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakamatsu, Toru; Tanabe, Kenji; Terasaki, Ichiro; Taniguchi, Hiroki

2017-01-01

An improper ferroelectric is a certain type of ferroelectrics whose primary order parameter is not polarization but another physical quantity such as magnetization. In contrast to a conventional proper ferroelectrics as represented by Pb(Zr,Ti)O_3 and BaTiO_3, the improper ferroelectrics has been inconceivable for practical applications thus far. Herein, we illustrate the great potential of improper ferroelectrics for efficient conversion of temperature fluctuation to electric energy, as demonstrated with (Ca_0_._8_4Sr_0_._1_6)_8[AlO_2]_1_2(MoO_4)_2 (CSAM-16). The present study has experimentally proven that CSAM-16 achieves an excellent electrothermal coupling factor and high electric field sensitivity for pyroelectric energy conversion that approach a practical level for application to self-powered autonomous electronic devices for rapidly spreading wireless sensor networks. The present results provide a novel approach to developing innovative pyroelectric energy harvesting devices using improper ferroelectrics. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Preparation and Characterization of Liquid Crystalline Polyurethane/Al2O3/Epoxy Resin Composites for Electronic Packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaorong Lu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Liquid crystalline polyurethane (LCPU/Al2O3/epoxy resin composites were prepared by using LCPU as modifier. The mechanical properties, thermal stability, and electrical properties of the LCPU/Al2O3/epoxy resin composites were investigated systematically. The thermal oxidation analysis indicated that LCPU/Al2O3/epoxy resin composites can sustain higher thermal decomposition temperature. Meanwhile, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE was also found to decrease with addition of LCPU and nano-Al2O3.

Ultrafast Photovoltaic Response in Ferroelectric Nanolayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daranciang, Dan

2012-02-15

We show that light drives large-amplitude structural changes in thin films of the prototypical ferroelectric PbTiO3 via direct coupling to its intrinsic photovoltaic response. Using time-resolved x-ray scattering to visualize atomic displacements on femtosecond timescales, photoinduced changes in the unit-cell tetragonality are observed. These are driven by the motion of photogenerated free charges within the ferroelectric and can be simply explained by a model including both shift and screening currents, associated with the displacement of electrons first antiparallel to and then parallel to the ferroelectric polarization direction.

Ultrafast Photovoltaic Response in Ferroelectric Nanolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daranciang, Dan

2012-01-01

We show that light drives large-amplitude structural changes in thin films of the prototypical ferroelectric PbTiO3 via direct coupling to its intrinsic photovoltaic response. Using time-resolved x-ray scattering to visualize atomic displacements on femtosecond timescales, photoinduced changes in the unit-cell tetragonality are observed. These are driven by the motion of photogenerated free charges within the ferroelectric and can be simply explained by a model including both shift and screening currents, associated with the displacement of electrons first antiparallel to and then parallel to the ferroelectric polarization direction.

Ferroelectric nanostructure having switchable multi-stable vortex states

Science.gov (United States)

Naumov, Ivan I [Fayetteville, AR; Bellaiche, Laurent M [Fayetteville, AR; Prosandeev, Sergey A [Fayetteville, AR; Ponomareva, Inna V [Fayetteville, AR; Kornev, Igor A [Fayetteville, AR

2009-09-22

A ferroelectric nanostructure formed as a low dimensional nano-scale ferroelectric material having at least one vortex ring of polarization generating an ordered toroid moment switchable between multi-stable states. A stress-free ferroelectric nanodot under open-circuit-like electrical boundary conditions maintains such a vortex structure for their local dipoles when subject to a transverse inhomogeneous static electric field controlling the direction of the macroscopic toroidal moment. Stress is also capable of controlling the vortex's chirality, because of the electromechanical coupling that exists in ferroelectric nanodots.

PEGylation of Phytantriol-Based Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Particles-The Effect of Lipid Composition, PEG Chain Length, and Temperature on the Internal Nanostructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Christa; Ostergaard, Jesper; Larsen, Susan Weng

2014-01-01

of these lipidic nonlamellar liquid crystalline particles by using DSPE-mPEGs with three different block lengths of the hydrophilic PEG segment. The effects of lipid composition, PEG chain length, and temperature on the morphology and internal nanostructure of these self-assembled lipidic aqueous dispersions based...

Ferroelectric devices, interconnects, and methods of manufacture thereof

KAUST Repository

Alshareef, Husam N.; Unnat, Bhansali; Khan, Mohd Adnan; Saleh, Moussa M.; Odeh, Ihab N.

2013-01-01

A doped electroconductive organic polymer is used for forming the electrode of a ferroelectric device or an interconnect. An exemplary ferroelectric device is a ferrelectric capacitor comprising: a substrate (101); a first electrode (106) disposed on the substrate; a ferroelectric layer (112) disposed on and in contact with the first electrode; and a second electrode (116) disposed on and in contact with the ferroelectric layer, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an organic electrode comprising a doped electroconductive organic polymer, for example DMSO-doped PEDOT-PSS.

Ferroelectric devices, interconnects, and methods of manufacture thereof

KAUST Repository

Alshareef, Husam N.

2013-12-12

A doped electroconductive organic polymer is used for forming the electrode of a ferroelectric device or an interconnect. An exemplary ferroelectric device is a ferrelectric capacitor comprising: a substrate (101); a first electrode (106) disposed on the substrate; a ferroelectric layer (112) disposed on and in contact with the first electrode; and a second electrode (116) disposed on and in contact with the ferroelectric layer, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an organic electrode comprising a doped electroconductive organic polymer, for example DMSO-doped PEDOT-PSS.

Hybrid dual gate ferroelectric memory for multilevel information storage

KAUST Repository

Khan, Yasser; Caraveo-Frescas, Jesus Alfonso; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

Here, we report hybrid organic/inorganic ferroelectric memory with multilevel information storage using transparent p-type SnO semiconductor and ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) polymer. The dual gate devices include a top ferroelectric field

Crystallization studies and dielectric properties of (Ba0.7Sr0.3)TiO3 in bariumaluminosilicate glass

Science.gov (United States)

Divya, P. V.; Vignesh, G.; Kumar, V.

2007-12-01

Ferroelectric glass-ceramics with a basic composition (1 - y)(Ba0.70Sr0.30)TiO3 : y(BaO : Al2O3 : 2SiO2) have been synthesized by the sol-gel method. The major crystalline phase is the perovskite. The crystallization of the ferroelectric phase in the glass matrix have been studied using differential thermal analysis and x-ray diffraction and the kinetic parameters characterizing the crystallization have been determined using an Arrhenius model. Glass contents <= 5 mol% promoted liquid phase sintering, which reduced the sintering temperature to 1250 °C. The dielectric permittivity of the glass-ceramic samples decreased and the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition became more diffuse with increasing glass content. The dielectric connectivity of the ferroelectric phase in the composite have also been investigated and are reported.

The influence of intraannular templates on the liquid crystallinity of shape-persistent macrocycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joscha Vollmeyer

2014-04-01

Full Text Available A series of shape-persistent phenylene–ethynylene–naphthylene–butadiynylene macrocycles with different extraannular alkyl groups and intraannular bridges is synthesized by oxidative Glaser-coupling of the appropriate precursors. The intraannular bridges serve in this case as templates that reduce the oligomerization even when the reaction is not performed under pseudo high-dilution conditions. The extraannular as well as the intraannular substituents have a strong influence on the thermal behavior of the compounds. With branched alkyl chains at the periphery, the macrocycles exhibit liquid crystalline (lc phases when the interior is empty or when the length of the alkyl bridge is just right to cross the ring. With a longer alkyl or an oligoethylene oxide bridge no lc phase is observed, most probably because the mesogene is no longer planar.

H-Bond stabilized columnar discotic liquid crystals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paraschiv, I.

2007-01-01

Since 1977, more than 2300 publications on discotic (disk-like) liquid crystalline materials have appeared. Discotic liquid crystals, which usually consist of polyaromatic molecules surrounded by long peripheral alkyl tails, can form liquid crystalline mesophases in a wide temperature range. Within

Improper ferroelectrics as high-efficiency energy conversion materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wakamatsu, Toru; Tanabe, Kenji; Terasaki, Ichiro; Taniguchi, Hiroki [Department of Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan)

2017-05-15

An improper ferroelectric is a certain type of ferroelectrics whose primary order parameter is not polarization but another physical quantity such as magnetization. In contrast to a conventional proper ferroelectrics as represented by Pb(Zr,Ti)O{sub 3} and BaTiO{sub 3}, the improper ferroelectrics has been inconceivable for practical applications thus far. Herein, we illustrate the great potential of improper ferroelectrics for efficient conversion of temperature fluctuation to electric energy, as demonstrated with (Ca{sub 0.84}Sr{sub 0.16}){sub 8}[AlO{sub 2}]{sub 12}(MoO{sub 4}){sub 2} (CSAM-16). The present study has experimentally proven that CSAM-16 achieves an excellent electrothermal coupling factor and high electric field sensitivity for pyroelectric energy conversion that approach a practical level for application to self-powered autonomous electronic devices for rapidly spreading wireless sensor networks. The present results provide a novel approach to developing innovative pyroelectric energy harvesting devices using improper ferroelectrics. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Organic non-volatile memories from ferroelectric phase-separated blends

Science.gov (United States)

Asadi, Kamal; de Leeuw, Dago M.; de Boer, Bert; Blom, Paul W. M.

2008-07-01

New non-volatile memories are being investigated to keep up with the organic-electronics road map. Ferroelectric polarization is an attractive physical property as the mechanism for non-volatile switching, because the two polarizations can be used as two binary levels. However, in ferroelectric capacitors the read-out of the polarization charge is destructive. The functionality of the targeted memory should be based on resistive switching. In inorganic ferroelectrics conductivity and ferroelectricity cannot be tuned independently. The challenge is to develop a storage medium in which the favourable properties of ferroelectrics such as bistability and non-volatility can be combined with the beneficial properties provided by semiconductors such as conductivity and rectification. Here we present an integrated solution by blending semiconducting and ferroelectric polymers into phase-separated networks. The polarization field of the ferroelectric modulates the injection barrier at the semiconductor-metal contact. The combination of ferroelectric bistability with (semi)conductivity and rectification allows for solution-processed non-volatile memory arrays with a simple cross-bar architecture that can be read out non-destructively. The concept of an electrically tunable injection barrier as presented here is general and can be applied to other electronic devices such as light-emitting diodes with an integrated on/off switch.

Unravelling the local structure of topological crystalline insulators using hyperfine interactions

CERN Multimedia

Phenomena emerging from relativistic electrons in solids have become one the main topical subjects in condensed matter physics. Among a wealth of intriguing new phenomena, several classes of materials have emerged including graphene, topological insulators and Dirac semi-metals. This project is devoted to one such class of materials, in which a subtle distortion of the crystalline lattice drives a material through different topological phases: Z$_{2}$ topological insulator (Z$_{2}$-TI), topological crystalline insulator (TCI), or ferroelectric Rashba semiconductor (FERS). We propose to investigate the local structure of Pb$_{1-x}$Sn$_{x}$Te and Ge$_{1-x}$Sn$_{x}$Te (with $\\textit{x}$ from 0 to 1) using a combination of experimental techniques based on hyperfine interactions: emission Mössbauer spectroscopy (eMS) and perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy (PAC). In particular, we propose to study the effect of composition ($\\textit{x}$ in Pb$_{1-x}$Sn$_{x}$Te and Ge$_{1-x}$Sn$_{x}$Te) on: \\\\ \\\\(1) the mag...

Organic ferroelectric/semiconducting nanowire hybrid layer for memory storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cai, R.; Kassa, H.G.; Haouari, R.; Marrani, A.; Geerts, Y.H.; Ruzié, C.; Breemen, A.J.J.M. van; Gelinck, G.H.; Nysten, B.; Hu, Z.; Jonas, A.M.

2016-01-01

Ferroelectric materials are important components of sensors, actuators and non-volatile memories. However, possible device configurations are limited due to the need to provide screening charges to ferroelectric interfaces to avoid depolarization. Here we show that, by alternating ferroelectric and

The origin of ultrahigh piezoelectricity in relaxor-ferroelectric solid solution crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Fei; Zhang, Shujun; Yang, Tiannan; Xu, Zhuo; Zhang, Nan; Liu, Gang; Wang, Jianjun; Wang, Jianli; Cheng, Zhenxiang; Ye, Zuo-Guang; Luo, Jun; Shrout, Thomas R.; Chen, Long-Qing (Penn); (Xian Jiaotong); (CIW); (Simon); (TRS Techn); (Wollongong)

2016-12-19

The discovery of ultrahigh piezoelectricity in relaxor-ferroelectric solid solution single crystals is a breakthrough in ferroelectric materials. A key signature of relaxor-ferroelectric solid solutions is the existence of polar nanoregions, a nanoscale inhomogeneity, that coexist with normal ferroelectric domains. Despite two decades of extensive studies, the contribution of polar nanoregions to the underlying piezoelectric properties of relaxor ferroelectrics has yet to be established. Here we quantitatively characterize the contribution of polar nanoregions to the dielectric/piezoelectric responses of relaxor-ferroelectric crystals using a combination of cryogenic experiments and phase-field simulations. The contribution of polar nanoregions to the room-temperature dielectric and piezoelectric properties is in the range of 50–80%. A mesoscale mechanism is proposed to reveal the origin of the high piezoelectricity in relaxor ferroelectrics, where the polar nanoregions aligned in a ferroelectric matrix can facilitate polarization rotation. This mechanism emphasizes the critical role of local structure on the macroscopic properties of ferroelectric materials.

The origin of ultrahigh piezoelectricity in relaxor-ferroelectric solid solution crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fei; Zhang, Shujun; Yang, Tiannan; Xu, Zhuo; Zhang, Nan; Liu, Gang; Wang, Jianjun; Wang, Jianli; Cheng, Zhenxiang; Ye, Zuo-Guang; Luo, Jun; Shrout, Thomas R; Chen, Long-Qing

2016-12-19

The discovery of ultrahigh piezoelectricity in relaxor-ferroelectric solid solution single crystals is a breakthrough in ferroelectric materials. A key signature of relaxor-ferroelectric solid solutions is the existence of polar nanoregions, a nanoscale inhomogeneity, that coexist with normal ferroelectric domains. Despite two decades of extensive studies, the contribution of polar nanoregions to the underlying piezoelectric properties of relaxor ferroelectrics has yet to be established. Here we quantitatively characterize the contribution of polar nanoregions to the dielectric/piezoelectric responses of relaxor-ferroelectric crystals using a combination of cryogenic experiments and phase-field simulations. The contribution of polar nanoregions to the room-temperature dielectric and piezoelectric properties is in the range of 50-80%. A mesoscale mechanism is proposed to reveal the origin of the high piezoelectricity in relaxor ferroelectrics, where the polar nanoregions aligned in a ferroelectric matrix can facilitate polarization rotation. This mechanism emphasizes the critical role of local structure on the macroscopic properties of ferroelectric materials.

Controlling the properties of ferroelectric-nickelate interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Matthew S. J.; Malashevich, Andrei; Disa, Ankit; Han, Myung-Geun; Zhu, Yimei; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab; Walker, Frederick; Ahn, Charles

2015-03-01

Ferroelectrics are a class of materials that exhibit a stable, reversible polarization making them useful for non-volatile electronic devices. In devices consisting of thin film ferroelectric PZT acting as a gate and a thin film of the conductive oxide LaNiO3 grown on LaAlO3(001) acting as a channel, we have realized a large change in room temperature channel resistance by switching the ferroelectric polarization. The effect of switching the polarization of the ferroelectric is to modify the electronic structure of the interface between the gate and channel, resulting in conduction in the otherwise insulating ferroelectric. Here, we discuss how changing the epitaxial strain and interface termination of LaNiO3 can result in larger changes in resistivity. The epitaxial strain is varied by growing the devices on LaAlO3 for tensile strain and SrTiO3 for compressive strain. An interface termination of either an atomic layer of NiO2 or LaO is achieved via atomic layering using oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

Liquid phase and supercooled liquid phase welding of bulk metallic glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Y.

2004-01-01

Recent progress on welding in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been reviewed. BMGs have been successfully welded to BMGs or crystalline metals by liquid phase welding using explosion, pulse-current and electron-beam methods, and by supercooled liquid phase welding using friction method. Successful welding of the liquid phase methods was due to the high glass-forming ability of the BMGs and the high concentration of welding energy in these methods. In contrast, the supercooled liquid phase welding was successful due to the thermally stable supercooled liquid state of the BMGs and the superplasticity and viscous flow of the supercooled liquid. The successful welding of BMGs to BMGs and crystalline materials is promising for the future development of BMGs as engineering materials

Small Angle Neutron Scattering Studies on Blends of Poly (Styrene-ran-Vinyl Phenol) with Liquid Crystalline Polyurethane

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Rujul

2005-03-01

Molecular composites, composed of uniformly dispersed rigid-rod liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) molecules in a flexible amorphous polymer matrix, have remained hitherto elusive due to a scarcity of miscible systems containing a LCP and an amorphous polymer. The production of such a blend, with an experimentally accessible miscibility window, has become possible by modifying the architecture of the flexible polymer, so as to induce favorable intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Specifically, liquid crystalline polyurethanes (LCPU) are found to be miscible with a copolymer of styrene and vinyl phenol; with optimum hydrogen bonding between the carbonyl groups of the urethane linkages and the hydroxyl groups present in the styrenic matrix. Availability of a truly miscible molecular composite presents a unique opportunity of studying the confirmation of polymer chains containing rigid-rods that are uniformly dispersed in a flexible coil matrix. A system consisting of the LCPU and the deuterated styrenic copolymer containing 20% vinyl phenol is examined by Small Angle Neutron Scattering at the National Center for Neutron Research at Gaithersburg and Technology, and the Institute of Solid State Research (IFF) at Jülich. Scattering curves for neat dPS-VPh did not fit the Debye-Bueche model; indicating complex structure. A two correlation length Debye-Bueche model was considered to accommodate for this nonlinear behavior. This model utilizes four fitting parameters, including two correlation lengths a1 and a2, corresponding to a Debye-Bueche model and Guinier model.

Complex Electric-Field Induced Phenomena in Ferroelectric/Antiferroelectric Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Herchig, Ryan Christopher

Perovskite ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics have attracted a lot of attention owing to their potential for device applications including THz sensors, solid state cooling, ultra high density computer memory, and electromechanical actuators to name a few. The discovery of ferroelectricity at the nanoscale provides not only new and exciting possibilities for device miniaturization, but also a way to study the fundamental physics of nanoscale phenomena in these materials. Ferroelectric nanowires show a rich variety of physical characteristics which are advantageous to the design of nanoscale ferroelectric devices such as exotic dipole patterns, a strong dependence of the polarization and phonon frequencies on the electrical and mechanical boundary conditions, as well as a dependence of the transition temperatures on the diameter of the nanowire. Antiferroelectricity also exists at the nanoscale and, due to the proximity in energy of the ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases, a phase transition from the ferroelectric to the antiferroelectric phase can be facilitated through the application of the appropriate mechanical and electrical boundary conditions. While much progress has been made over the past several decades to understand the nature of ferroelectricity/antiferroelectricity in nanowires, many questions remain unanswered. In particular, little is known about how the truncated dimensions affect the soft mode frequency dynamics or how various electrical and mechanical boundary conditions might change the nature of the phase transitions in these ferroelectric nanowires. Could nanowires offer a distinct advantage for solid state cooling applications? Few studies have been done to elucidate the fundamental physics of antiferroelectric nanowires. How the polarization in ferroelectric nanowires responds to a THz electric field remains relatively underexplored as well. In this work, the aim is to to develop and use computational tools that allow first

Chemical segregation and self polarisation in ferroelectrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernard E. Watts

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Chemical partitioning or segregation is commonly encountered in solid-state syntheses. It is driven by compositional, thermal and electric field gradients. These phenomena can be quite extreme in thin films and lead to notable effects on the electrical properties of ferroelectrics. The segregation in ferroelectric thin films will be illustrated and the mechanisms explained in terms of diffusion processes driven by a potential gradient of the oxygen. The hypothesis can also explain self polarisation and imprint in ferroelectric hysteresis.

How ionic species structure influences phase structure and transitions from protic ionic liquids to liquid crystals to crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Greaves, Tamar L; Broomhall, Hayden; Weerawardena, Asoka; Osborne, Dale A; Canonge, Bastien A; Drummond, Calum J

2017-12-14

The phase behaviour of n-alkylammonium (C6 to C16) nitrates and formates has been characterised using synchrotron small angle and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cross polarised optical microscopy (CPOM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The protic salts may exist as crystalline, liquid crystalline or ionic liquid materials depending on the alkyl chain length and temperature. n-Alkylammonium nitrates with n ≥ 6 form thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) lamellar phases, whereas n ≥ 8 was required for the formate series to form this LC phase. The protic ionic liquid phase showed an intermediate length scale nanostructure resulting from the segregation of the polar and nonpolar components of the ionic liquid. This segregation was enhanced for longer n-alkyl chains, with a corresponding increase in the correlation length scale. The crystalline and liquid crystalline phases were both lamellar. Phase transition temperatures, lamellar d-spacings, and liquid correlation lengths for the n-alkylammonium nitrates and formates were compared with those for n-alkylammonium chlorides and n-alkylamines. Plateau regions in the liquid crystalline to liquid phase transition temperatures as a function of n for the n-alkylammonium nitrates and formates are consistent with hydrogen-bonding and cation-anion interactions between the ionic species dominating alkyl chain-chain van der Waals interactions, with the exception of the mid chained hexyl- and heptylammonium formates. The d-spacings of the lamellar phases for both the n-alkylammonium nitrates and formates were consistent with an increase in chain-chain layer interdigitation within the bilayer-based lamellae with increasing alkyl chain length, and they were comparable to the n-alkylammonium chlorides.

Magnetic, ferroelectric, and spin phonon coupling studies of Sr{sub 3}Co{sub 2}Fe{sub 24}O{sub 41} multiferroic Z-type hexaferrite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raju, N.; Shravan Kumar Reddy, S.; Ramesh, J.; Gopal Reddy, Ch.; Yadagiri Reddy, P., E-mail: yadagirireddy@yahoo.com; Rama Reddy, K. [Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad-500007 (India); Sathe, V. G.; Raghavendra Reddy, V. [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, University Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore-452001 (India)

2016-08-07

The magnetic, Raman, ferroelectric, and in-field {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer studies of polycrystalline multiferroic Sr{sub 3}Co{sub 2}Fe{sub 24}O{sub 41} are reported in this paper. From the magnetization studies, it is observed that the sample is soft magnetic in nature with low temperature magnetic spin transitions like longitudinal to transverse conical structure around 130 K and change in magnetic crystalline anisotropy from conical to planar structure at 250 K. Ferroelectric studies of the sample exhibit the spontaneous polarization at low temperature. Strong spin phonon and spin lattice coupling is observed through low temperature Raman spectroscopy. From the in-field {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, spin up and spin down site occupations of Fe ions are calculated in the unit cell.

Impact induced depolarization of ferroelectric materials

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Vinamra; Bhattacharya, Kaushik

2018-06-01

We study the large deformation dynamic behavior and the associated nonlinear electro-thermo-mechanical coupling exhibited by ferroelectric materials in adiabatic environments. This is motivated by a ferroelectric generator which involves pulsed power generation by loading the ferroelectric material with a shock, either by impact or a blast. Upon impact, a shock wave travels through the material inducing a ferroelectric to nonpolar phase transition giving rise to a large voltage difference in an open circuit situation or a large current in a closed circuit situation. In the first part of this paper, we provide a general continuum mechanical treatment of the situation assuming a sharp phase boundary that is possibly charged. We derive the governing laws, as well as the driving force acting on the phase boundary. In the second part, we use the derived equations and a particular constitutive relation that describes the ferroelectric to nonpolar phase transition to study a uniaxial plate impact problem. We develop a numerical method where the phase boundary is tracked but other discontinuities are captured using a finite volume method. We compare our results with experimental observations to find good agreement. Specifically, our model reproduces the observed exponential rise of charge as well as the resistance dependent Hugoniot. We conclude with a parameter study that provides detailed insight into various aspects of the problem.

Nanostructured liquid crystalline particles as an alternative delivery vehicle for plant agrochemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadiminti, Pavani P; Dong, Yao D; Sayer, Chad; Hay, Phillip; Rookes, James E; Boyd, Ben J; Cahill, David M

2013-03-13

Agrochemical spray formulations applied to plants are often mixed with surfactants that facilitate delivery of the active ingredient. However, surfactants cause phytotoxicity and off-target effects in the environment. We propose the use of nanostructured liquid crystalline particles (NLCP) as an alternative to surfactant-based agrochemical delivery. For this, we have compared the application of commercial surfactants, di (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate and alkyl dimethyl betaine, with NLCP made from phytantriol, at concentrations of 0.1%, 1% and 5% on the adaxial surface of leaves of four plant species Ttriticum aestivum (wheat), Zea mays (maize), Lupinus angustifolius (lupin), and Arabidopsis thaliana. In comparison with the application of surfactants there was less phytotoxicity on leaves of each species following treatment with NLCP. Following treatment of leaves with NLCP analysis of cuticular wax micromorphology revealed less wax solubilization in the monocot species. The results clearly show that there are advantages in the use of NLCP rather than surfactants for agrochemical delivery.

Patterned piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectricity of poled polymer electrets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Xunlin

2010-01-01

Polymers with strong piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectricity are attractive for a wide range of applications. In particular, semicrystalline ferroelectric polymers are suitable for a large variety of piezo- and pyroelectric transducers or sensors, while amorphous polymers containing chromophore molecules are particularly interesting for photonic devices. Recently, a new class of polymer materials has been added to this family: internally charged cellular space-charge polymer electrets (so-called “ferroelectrets”), whose piezoelectricity can be orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional ferroelectric polymers. Suitable patterning of these materials leads to improved or unusual macroscopic piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectric or nonlinear optical properties that may be particularly useful for advanced transducer or waveguide applications. In the present paper, the piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectricity of poled polymers is briefly introduced, an overview on the preparation of polymer electrets with patterned piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectricity is provided and a survey of selected applications is presented.

Solvent-Dependent Delamination, Restacking, and Ferroelectric Behavior in a New Charge-Separated Layered Compound: [NH4 ][Ag3 (C9 H5 NO4 S)2 (C13 H14 N2 )2 ]⋅8 H2 O.

Science.gov (United States)

Sushrutha, Sringeri Ramesh; Mohana, Shivanna; Pal, Somnath; Natarajan, Srinivasan

2017-01-03

A new anionic coordination polymer, [NH 4 ][Ag 3 (C 9 H 5 NO 4 S) 2 (C 13 H 14 N 2 ) 2 ]⋅8 H 2 O, with a two-dimensional structure, has been synthesized by a reaction between silver nitrate, 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (HQS), and 4,4'-trimethylene dipyridine (TMDP). The compound stabilizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group, and the lattice water molecules and the charge-compensating [NH 4 ] + group occupy the inter-lamellar spaces. The lattice water molecules can be fully removed and reinserted, which is accompanied by a crystalline-amorphous-crystalline transformation. This transformation resembles the collapse/delamination and restacking of the layers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first observation of delamination and restacking in an inorganic coordination polymer that contains silver. The presence of a natural dipole (the anionic framework and cationic ammonium ions) along with the noncentrosymmetric space group gives rise to the room-temperature ferroelectric behavior of the compound. The ferroelectric behavior is also water-dependent and exhibits a ferroelectric-paraelectric transformation. The temperature-dependent dielectric measurements indicate that the ferroelectric/ paraelectric transformation occurs at 320 K. This transformation has also been investigated by using in-situ IR spectroscopy and PXRD studies. The second-harmonic generation (SHG) study indicated values that are comparable to some of the known SHG solids, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and urea. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High diffraction efficiency polarization gratings recorded by biphotonic holography in an azobenzene liquid crystalline polyester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, C.; Alcala, R.; Hvilsted, S.; Ramanujam, P. S.

2001-01-01

High diffraction efficiencies have been achieved with polarization gratings recorded in thin films of an azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline polyester by means of biphotonic processes. Efficiency values up to 30% have been reached after an induction period of 300 s and subsequent evolution with the sample in darkness. These values are at least two orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported for biphotonic recording. The gratings can be erased with unpolarized blue light and partial recovery of the diffraction efficiency has been observed after the erasure process when the sample is kept in darkness. Red light illumination of the erased film increases the recovered efficiency value and the recovery rate. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Ferroelectrics: A pathway to switchable surface chemistry and catalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kakekhani, Arvin; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab; Altman, Eric I.

2016-08-01

It has been known for more than six decades that ferroelectricity can affect a material's surface physics and chemistry thereby potentially enhancing its catalytic properties. Ferroelectrics are a class of materials with a switchable electrical polarization that can affect surface stoichiometry and electronic structure and thus adsorption energies and modes; e.g., molecular versus dissociative. Therefore, ferroelectrics may be utilized to achieve switchable surface chemistry whereby surface properties are not fixed but can be dynamically controlled by, for example, applying an external electric field or modulating the temperature. Several important examples of applications of ferroelectric and polar materials in photocatalysis and heterogeneous catalysis are discussed. In photocatalysis, the polarization direction can control band bending at water/ferroelectric and ferroelectric/semiconductor interfaces, thereby facilitating charge separation and transfer to the electrolyte and enhancing photocatalytic activity. For gas-surface interactions, available results suggest that using ferroelectrics to support catalytically active transition metals and oxides is another way to enhance catalytic activity. Finally, the possibility of incorporating ferroelectric switching into the catalytic cycle itself is described. In this scenario, a dynamic collaboration of two polarization states can be used to drive reactions that have been historically challenging to achieve on surfaces with fixed chemical properties (e.g., direct NOx decomposition and the selective partial oxidation of methane). These predictions show that dynamic modulation of the polarization can help overcome some of the fundamental limitations on catalytic activity imposed by the Sabatier principle.

Static Characteristics of the Ferroelectric Transistor Inverter

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Cody; Laws, crystal; MacLeond, Todd C.; Ho, Fat D.

2010-01-01

The inverter is one of the most fundamental building blocks of digital logic, and it can be used as the foundation for understanding more complex logic gates and circuits. This paper presents the characteristics of an inverter circuit using a ferroelectric field-effect transistor. The voltage transfer characteristics are analyzed with respect to varying parameters such as supply voltage, input voltage, and load resistance. The effects of the ferroelectric layer between the gate and semiconductor are examined, and comparisons are made between the inverters using ferroelectric transistors and those using traditional MOSFETs.

Pico-ampere current sensitivity and CdSe quantum dots assembly assisted charge transport in ferroelectric liquid crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Pratap Singh, Dharmendra; Boussoualem, Yahia; Duponchel, Benoit; Sahraoui, Abdelhak Hadj; Kumar, Sandeep; Manohar, Rajiv; Daoudi, Abdelylah

2017-08-01

Octadecylamine capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) dispersed 4-(1-methyl-heptyloxy)-benzoic acid 4‧-octyloxy-biphenyl-4-yl ester ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) were deposited over gold coated quartz substrate using dip-coating. The topographical investigation discloses that the homogeneously dispersed QDs adopt face-on to edge-on assembly in FLC matrix owing to their concentration. Current-voltage (I-V) measurement was performed using conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) which yields ohmic to critical diode like I-V curves depending upon the concentration of QDs in FLC. The recorded pico-ampere (pA) current sensitivity in FLC-QDs composites is attributed to micro-second drift time of electron due to weak electronic coupling between the π-electrons on the FLC and s-electrons on the metal surface. The observed pico-ampere sensitivity is the least current sensitivity recorded so far. For FLC-QDs composites, almost 24% faster electro-optic response was observed in comparison to pure FLC. The pico-ampere current sensitivity can be utilized in touch screen displays whereas the change in polarization for low applied electric field ameliorates the increased electrical susceptibility counteracting the internal electric field and its use in electronic data storage and faster electro-optical devices.

Electrostatic micromotor based on ferroelectric ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Baginsky, I. L.; Kostsov, E. G.

2004-11-01

A new electrostatic micromotor is described that utilizes the electromechanical energy conversion principle earlier described by the authors. The electromechanical energy conversion is based on reversible electrostatic rolling of thin metallic films (petals) on a ferroelectric surface. The motor's active media are layers of ferroelectric ceramics (about 100 µm in thickness). The characteristics of the electrostatic rolling of the petals on different ceramic surfaces are studied, as well as the dynamic characteristics of the micromotors. It is shown that the use of antiferroelectric material allows one to reach a specific energy capacitance comparable to that of the micromotors based on ferroelectric films and to achieve a specific power of 30-300 µW mm-2.

Field-effect transistor memories based on ferroelectric polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yujia; Wang, Haiyang; Zhang, Lei; Chen, Xiaomeng; Guo, Yu; Sun, Huabin; Li, Yun

2017-11-01

Field-effect transistors based on ferroelectrics have attracted intensive interests, because of their non-volatile data retention, rewritability, and non-destructive read-out. In particular, polymeric materials that possess ferroelectric properties are promising for the fabrications of memory devices with high performance, low cost, and large-area manufacturing, by virtue of their good solubility, low-temperature processability, and good chemical stability. In this review, we discuss the material characteristics of ferroelectric polymers, providing an update on the current development of ferroelectric field-effect transistors (Fe-FETs) in non-volatile memory applications. Program supported partially by the NSFC (Nos. 61574074, 61774080), NSFJS (No. BK20170075), and the Open Partnership Joint Projects of NSFC-JSPS Bilateral Joint Research Projects (No. 61511140098).

Gold nanoparticles decorated on BaTiO3 as photocatalyst: effect of SPR and ferroelectricity

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Zhilei; Chen, Lei; Wang, Rui; Yuan, Rongchun; Zhou, Fang; Lv, Pengfei; Zhang, Xiuyun; Wang, Qiang

2018-02-01

BaTiO3(BTO) powders with cubic(C) and tetragonal(T) crystalline structures were prepared by sol-gel method followed by calcination at different temperatures, and they were decorated with gold nanoparticles(AuNPs) to form Au-T-BTO and Au-C-BTO respectively. All the samples (C-BTO, T-BTO, Au-C-BTO and Au-T-BTO) were used as photo-catalysts for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). Au-T-BTO exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity due to thecombined effect of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the ferroelectricity of the tetragonalphase BTO. The light absorption peaks at 500 to 600 nm verify the presence of SPR effect from Au NPs. Based on density functional theory (DFC) within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) approach, it was demonstrated that the tetragonal phase BaTiO3 shows a spontaneous polarization with the calculated value of 0.34 C m-2, which is absent in thecubic phase. The internal space charge layer in tetragonal phase BTO enhances the separation of photoexcited carriers due to the spontaneous ferroelectric polarization, which also benefits photocatalytic activities.

Quantum mechanical studies of complex ferroelectric perovskites

Science.gov (United States)

Ramer, Nicholas John

In many electronic device applications, there is a need to interconvert electrical energy and other types of energy. Ferroelectric materials, which possess a voltage-dependent polarization, can enable this energy conversion process. Because of the broad interest in ferroelectric materials for these devices, there is a critical research effort, both experimental and theoretical, to understand these materials and aid in the development of materials with improved properties. This thesis presents detailed quantum mechanical investigations of the behavior of a complex ferroelectric perovskite under applied stress. In particular, we have chosen to study the solid solution PbZr1-xTix O3 (PZT). Since the study of ferroelectricity involves understanding both its structural and electronic signatures in materials, it has necessitated the development of a novel theoretical technique which improves the accuracy of the pseudopotentials used in our density functional theory calculations as well as a new method for constructing three-dimensional atomistic responses to small amounts of external stress. To examine the material's behavior under larger amounts of stress, we have studied the behavior of a composition of PZT lying near a structural phase boundary. On either side of the phase boundary, the material is characterized by a different polarization direction and may easily be switched between phases by applying external stress. In addition to stress-induced phase transitions, most ferroelectric materials also have composition dependent phase boundaries. Since different compositions of PZT would require increased computational effort, we have formulated an improved virtual crystal approach that makes tractable the study of the entire composition range. Using this method, we have been able to show for the first time via first-principles calculations, a composition dependent phase transition in a ferroelectric material. This thesis has accomplished three important goals: new

Drug Release and Skin Permeation from Lipid Liquid Crystalline Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Costa-Balogh, F. O.; Sparr, E.; Sousa, J. J. S.; Pais, A. A. C. C.

We have studied drug release and skin permeation from several different liquid crystalline lipid formulations that may be used to control the respective release rates. We have studied the release and permeation through human skin of a water-soluble and amphiphilic drug, propranolol hydrochloride, from several formulations prepared with monoolein and phytantriol as permeation enhancers and controlled release excipients. Diolein and cineol were added to selected formulations. We observed that viscosity decreases with drug load, wich is compatible with the occurrence of phase changes. Diolein stabilizes the bicontinuous cubic phases leading to an increase in viscosity and sustained release of the drug. The slowest release was found for the cubic phases with higher viscosity. Studies on skin permeation showed that these latter formulations also presented lower permeability than the less viscous monoolein lamellar phases. Formulations containing cineol originated higher permeability with higher enhancement ratios. Thus, the various formulations are adapted to different circumstances and delivery routes. While a slow release is usually desired for drug sustained delivery, the transdermal route may require a faster release. Lamellar phases, which are less viscous, are more adapted to transdermal applications. Thus, systems involving lamellar phases of monoolein and cineol are good candidates to be used as skin permeation enhancers for propranolol hydrochloride.

Supramolecular liquid crystalline π-conjugates: the role of aromatic π-stacking and van der Waals forces on the molecular self-assembly of oligophenylenevinylenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Goel, Mahima; Jayakannan, M

2010-10-07

Here, we report a unique design strategy to trace the role of aromatic π-stacking and van der Waals interactions on the molecular self-organization of π-conjugated building blocks in a single system. A new series of bulky oligophenylenevinylenes (OPVs) bearing a tricyclodecanemethylene (TCD) unit in the aromatic π-core with flexible long methylene chains (n = 0-12 and 16) in the longitudinal position were designed and synthesized. The OPVs were found to be liquid crystalline, and their enthalpies of phase transitions (also entropies) showed odd-even oscillation with respect to the number of carbon atoms in alkyl chains. OPVs with an even number of methylene units in the side chains showed higher enthalpies with respect to their highly packed solid structures compared to odd-numbered ones. Polarized light microscopic analysis confirmed the formation of cholesteric liquid crystalline (LC) phases of fan shaped textures with focal conics in OPVs with 5 ≤ n ≤ 9. OPVs with longer alkyl chains (OPV-10 to OPV-12) produced a birefringence pattern consisting of dark and bright ring-banded suprastructures. The melting temperature followed a sigmoidal trend, indicating the transformation of molecular self-organization in OPVs from solid to ring-banded suprastructures via cholesteric LC intermediates. At longer alkyl chain lengths, the van der Waals interactions among the alkyl chains became predominant and translated the mesogenic effect across the lamellae; as a consequence, the lamellae underwent twisted self-organization along the radial growth direction of the spherulites to produce bright and dark bands. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of cholesteric LC and ring-banded textures strongly supported the existence of twisted lamellae in the OPVs with ring-banded textures. Variable temperature X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the reversibility of the molecular self-organization in the solid state and also showed the existence of the higher ordered

Ferroelectric relaxor Ba(TiCe)O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ang; Zhi Jing; Yu Zhi

2002-01-01

The dielectric behaviour of Ba(Ti 1-y Ce y )O 3 solid solutions (y=0-0.3) has been studied. A small amount of Ce doping (y=0.02) has weak influence on the dielectric behaviour of Ba(Ti 1-y Ce y )O 3 . With increasing Ce concentration, three phase transitions of pure BaTiO 3 are pinched into one rounded dielectric peak with frequency dispersion, and the relaxation time follows the Vogel-Fulcher relation. The evolution from a normal ferroelectric to a ferroelectric relaxor is emphasized. High strains (S=∼0.1-0.19%) with a small hysteresis under ac fields are obtained in ferroelectric relaxors Ba(Ti 1-y Ce y )O 3 . The physical mechanism of the relaxation process, the pinching effect of the phase transitions and their influence on the ferroelectric and electrostrictive behaviour are discussed. (author)

The microwave heating mechanism of N-(4-methoxybenzyliden)-4-butylaniline in liquid crystalline and isotropic phases as determined using in situ microwave irradiation NMR spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tasei, Yugo; Tanigawa, Fumikazu; Kawamura, Izuru; Fujito, Teruaki; Sato, Motoyasu; Naito, Akira

2015-04-14

Microwave heating effects are widely used in the acceleration of organic, polymerization and enzymatic reactions. These effects are primarily caused by the local heating induced by microwave irradiation. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms associated with microwave heating effects on the chemical reactions are not yet well understood. This study investigated the microwave heating effect of N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline (MBBA) in liquid crystalline and isotropic phases using in situ microwave irradiation nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, by obtaining (1)H NMR spectra of MBBA under microwave irradiation. When heated simply using the temperature control unit of the NMR instrument, the liquid crystalline MBBA was converted to the isotropic phase exactly at its phase transition temperature (Tc) of 41 °C. The application of microwave irradiation at 130 W for 90 s while maintaining the instrument temperature at 20 °C generated a small amount of isotropic phase within the bulk liquid crystal. The sample temperature of the liquid crystalline state obtained during microwave irradiation was estimated to be 35 °C by assessing the linewidths of the (1)H NMR spectrum. This partial transition to the isotropic phase can be attributed to a non-equilibrium local heating state induced by the microwave irradiation. The application of microwave at 195 W for 5 min to isotropic MBBA while maintaining an instrument temperature of 50 °C raised the sample temperature to 160 °C. In this study, the MBBA temperature during microwave irradiation was estimated by measuring the temperature dependent chemical shifts of individual protons in the sample, and the different protons were found to indicate significantly different temperatures in the molecule. These results suggest that microwave heating polarizes bonds in polar functional groups, and this effect may partly explain the attendant acceleration of organic reactions.

Synthesis, Characterization and Photoinduction of Optical Anisotropy in Liquid Crystalline Diblock Azo-Copolymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forcén, P; Oriol, L; Sánchez, C

2007-01-01

Diblock copolymers with polymethyl methacrylate and side chain liquid crystalline WC) azopolymethacrylate blocks were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The azobeazene content in these copolymers ranges from 52 to 7 wt %. For an azo conteat dowri to 20% they exhibit a LC...... anisotropy induced in these films by illumination with linearly polarized 488 nm light was studied and the resuits compared with those of the azo homopolymer and of a random copolymer with a similar composition. The formation of azo aggregates inside the azo blocks is strongly reduced in going from...... the homopolymer to the copolymers. Photoinduced azo orientation perpendicular to the 488 nm light polarization was found in aH the polymers. The orientational order parameter is very similar in the homopolymer and in the block copolymers with an azo content down to 20 wt %, while it is much lower in the random...

New theory for competing interactions and microstructures in partially-ordered (liquid-crystalline) phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowell, F.

1987-01-01

A summary of results from a unique statistical-physics theory to predict and explain competing interactions and resulting microstructures in some partially-ordered [in this case, liquid-crystalline (LC)] phases is presented. The static aspects of both partial orientational and partial positional ordering of the molecules into various microstructures in these phases (including the incommensurate smectic-Ad phase) can be understood in terms of various competing interactions (both entropic and energetic) involved in the packing together of the different molecular sub-units at given pressures and temperatures. These microstructures are predicted and explained (using no ad hoc or arbitrarily adjustable parameter) as a function of molecule chemical structure [including lengths and shapes (from bond lengths and angles), intramolecular rotations, site-site polarizabilities and pair potentials, dipole moments, etc]. Theoretical results are presented for the nematic, re-entrant nematic, smectic-Ad, and smectic-Al LC phases and the isotropic phase

Fast Ferroelectric L-Band Tuner for ILC Cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirshfield, Jay L

2010-03-15

Design, analysis, and low-power tests are described on a 1.3 GHz ferroelectric tuner that could find application in the International Linear Collider or in Project X at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The tuner configuration utilizes a three-deck sandwich imbedded in a WR-650 waveguide, in which ferroelectric bars are clamped between conducting plates that allow the tuning bias voltage to be applied. Use of a reduced one-third structure allowed tests of critical parameters of the configuration, including phase shift, loss, and switching speed. Issues that were revealed that require improvement include reducing loss tangent in the ferroelectric material, development of a reliable means of brazing ferroelectric elements to copper parts of the tuner, and simplification of the mechanical design of the configuration.

Direct evidence of strong local ferroelectric ordering in a thermoelectric semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aggarwal, Leena; Sekhon, Jagmeet S.; Arora, Ashima; Sheet, Goutam, E-mail: goutam@iisermohali.ac.in [Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali (IISER M), Sector 81, S. A. S. Nagar, Manauli PO-140306 (India); Guin, Satya N.; Negi, Devendra S.; Datta, Ranjan; Biswas, Kanishka, E-mail: kanishka@jncasr.ac.in [New Chemistry Unit and International Centre for Materials Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bangalore 560064 (India)

2014-09-15

It is thought that the proposed new family of multi-functional materials, namely, the ferroelectric thermoelectrics may exhibit enhanced functionalities due to the coupling of the thermoelectric parameters with ferroelectric polarization in solids. Therefore, the ferroelectric thermoelectrics are expected to be of immense technological and fundamental significance. As a first step towards this direction, it is most important to identify the existing high performance thermoelectric materials exhibiting ferroelectricity. Herein, through the direct measurement of local polarization switching, we show that the recently discovered thermoelectric semiconductor AgSbSe{sub 2} has local ferroelectric ordering. Using piezo-response force microscopy, we demonstrate the existence of nanometer scale ferroelectric domains that can be switched by external electric field. These observations are intriguing as AgSbSe{sub 2} crystalizes in cubic rock-salt structure with centro-symmetric space group (Fm–3m), and therefore, no ferroelectricity is expected. However, from high resolution transmission electron microscopy measurement, we found the evidence of local superstructure formation which, we believe, leads to local distortion of the centro-symmetric arrangement in AgSbSe{sub 2} and gives rise to the observed ferroelectricity. Stereochemically active 5S{sup 2} lone-pair of Sb may also give rise to local structural distortion thereby creating ferroelectricity in AgSbSe{sub 2}.

Ferroelectric domain continuity over grain boundaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mantri, Sukriti; Oddershede, Jette; Damjanovic, Dragan

2017-01-01

Formation and mobility of domain walls in ferroelectric materials is responsible for many of their electrical and mechanical properties. Domain wall continuity across grain boundaries has been observed since the 1950's and is speculated to affect the grain boundary-domain interactions, thereby...... impacting macroscopic ferroelectric properties in polycrystalline systems. However detailed studies of such correlated domain structures across grain boundaries are limited. In this work, we have developed the mathematical requirements for domain wall plane matching at grain boundaries of any given...... orientation. We have also incorporated the effect of grain boundary ferroelectric polarization charge created when any two domains meet at the grain boundary plane. The probability of domain wall continuity for three specific grain misorientations is studied. Use of this knowledge to optimize processing...

Ferroelectric-gate field effect transistor memories device physics and applications

CERN Document Server

Ishiwara, Hiroshi; Okuyama, Masanori; Sakai, Shigeki; Yoon, Sung-Min

2016-01-01

This book provides comprehensive coverage of the materials characteristics, process technologies, and device operations for memory field-effect transistors employing inorganic or organic ferroelectric thin films. This transistor-type ferroelectric memory has interesting fundamental device physics and potentially large industrial impact. Among the various applications of ferroelectric thin films, the development of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) has progressed most actively since the late 1980s and has achieved modest mass production levels for specific applications since 1995. There are two types of memory cells in ferroelectric nonvolatile memories. One is the capacitor-type FeRAM and the other is the field-effect transistor (FET)-type FeRAM. Although the FET-type FeRAM claims ultimate scalability and nondestructive readout characteristics, the capacitor-type FeRAMs have been the main interest for the major semiconductor memory companies, because the ferroelectric FET has fatal handic...

A hybrid ferroelectric-flash memory cells

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae Hyo; Byun, Chang Woo; Seok, Ki Hwan; Kim, Hyung Yoon; Chae, Hee Jae; Lee, Sol Kyu; Son, Se Wan; Ahn, Donghwan; Joo, Seung Ki

2014-09-01

A ferroelectric-flash (F-flash) memory cells having a metal-ferroelectric-nitride-oxynitride-silicon structure are demonstrated, and the ferroelectric materials were perovskite-dominated Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) crystallized by Pt gate electrode. The PZT thin-film as a blocking layer improves electrical and memorial performance where programming and erasing mechanism are different from the metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor device or the conventional silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon device. F-flash cells exhibit not only the excellent electrical transistor performance, having 442.7 cm2 V-1 s-1 of field-effect mobility, 190 mV dec-1 of substhreshold slope, and 8 × 105 on/off drain current ratio, but also a high reliable memory characteristics, having a large memory window (6.5 V), low-operating voltage (0 to -5 V), faster P/E switching speed (50/500 μs), long retention time (>10 years), and excellent fatigue P/E cycle (>105) due to the boosting effect, amplification effect, and energy band distortion of nitride from the large polarization. All these characteristics correspond to the best performances among conventional flash cells reported so far.

Second harmonic generation in generalized Thue-Morse ferroelectric superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Longxiang; Yang Xiangbo; Chen Tongsheng

2009-01-01

In this paper the second harmonic generation (SHG) in generalized Thue-Morse (GTM(m, n)) ferroelectric superlattices is studied. Under the small-signal approximation, the SHG spectra in both real and reciprocal spaces are investigated. It is found that: (1) only when the structure parameters l, l A , and l B are all chosen to be proper, can SHG in GTM(m, n) ferroelectric superlattices be generated; (2) for Family A of generalized Thue-Morse, GTM(m, 1) ferroelectric systems, with the increase of parameter m, the intense peaks of SHG concentrate on the long wavelength 1.4-1.5μm (the fundamental beam (FB) wavelength is within 0.8-1.5μm), but for Family B of generalized Thue-Morse, GTM(1, n) ferroelectric superlattices, with the increase of parameter n, the intense peaks of SHG concentrate on the middle wavelength 1.1-1.2μm; and (3) for GTM(m, 1) ferroelectric superlattices, the bigger the m, the stronger the relative integral intensity (RII) of SHG would be, but for GTM(1, n) ferroelectric systems, the bigger the n, the weaker the RII of SHG would be.

An Automated Ab Initio Framework for Identifying New Ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Smidt, Tess; Reyes-Lillo, Sebastian E.; Jain, Anubhav; Neaton, Jeffrey B.

Ferroelectric materials have a wide-range of technological applications including non-volatile RAM and optoelectronics. In this work, we present an automated first-principles search for ferroelectrics. We integrate density functional theory, crystal structure databases, symmetry tools, workflow software, and a custom analysis toolkit to build a library of known and proposed ferroelectrics. We screen thousands of candidates using symmetry relations between nonpolar and polar structure pairs. We use two search strategies 1) polar-nonpolar pairs with the same composition and 2) polar-nonpolar structure type pairs. Results are automatically parsed, stored in a database, and accessible via a web interface showing distortion animations and plots of polarization and total energy as a function of distortion. We benchmark our results against experimental data, present new ferroelectric candidates found through our search, and discuss future work on expanding this search methodology to other material classes such as anti-ferroelectrics and multiferroics.

Fabrication and characterization of all-polymer, transparent ferroelectric capacitors on flexible substrates

KAUST Repository

Khan, Yasser

2011-12-01

All-polymer, transparent ferroelectric devices, based on the functional polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)], have been fabricated on flexible substrates. The performance of the all-polymer devices was studied and compared to devices with metal electrodes. Specifically, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid) [PEDOT:PSS] and platinum (Pt) electrode effects on the morphology, crystallinity and orientation of P(VDF-TrFE) films were investigated. The devices with PEDOT:PSS electrodes showed similar hysteresis and switching current response compared to Pt electrodes but with tremendously improved fatigue performance. Further, the devices with PEDOT:PSS electrodes showed lower coercive field and better fatigue performance than values reported for other polymer electrodes used with P(VDF-TrFE) on flexible substrates. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observation of paramorphic phenomenon and non-tilted orthogonal smectic phases in hydrogen bonded ferroelectric liquid crystals for photonic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Subhasri, P.; Venugopal, D.; Jayaprakasam, R.; Chitravel, T.; Vijayakumar, V. N.

2018-06-01

A new class of hydrogen bonded ferroelectric liquid crystals (HBFLC) have been designed and synthesized by intermolecular hydrogen bonds between mesogenic 4-decyloxybenzoic acid (10OBA) and non-mesogenic (R)-(+)-Methylsuccinic acid (MSA) which have been confirmed through experimental and theoretical studies. Further, Mulliken population analysis clearly reveals that the existence of hydrogen bonds, strength and dynamic properties. Textural observation and its corresponding enthalpy values are analyzed by polarizing optical microscope (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. Paramorphic changes in Sm C* phase due to the change of refractive index, which clearly reveal that the complex could be used for filtering action in photonic devices. The transition from lone pair to π* with large stabilization energy evidently exposes the chiral phases in the present HBFLC complex. Intermolecular interaction is analyzed by using natural bond orbital (NBO) studies. The highest energy in the HOMO-LUMO shows the stable phase in the HBFLC complex. Molecular structure of the HBFLC complex possesses the monoclinic which has been evinced through x-ray analysis. The randomly oriented bunch of homogeneous molecules in Sm A* phase of the HBFLC complex is reported.

Crystalline liquids: the blue phases

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, David C.; Mermin, N. David

1989-04-01

The blue phases of cholesteric liquid crystals are liquids that exhibit orientational order characterized by crystallographic space-group symmetries. We present here a pedagogical introduction to the current understanding of the equilibrium structure of these phases accompanied by a general overview of major experimental results. Using the Ginzburg-Landau free energy appropriate to the system, we first discuss in detail the character and stability of the usual helical phase of cholesterics, showing that for certain parameter ranges the helical phase is unstable to the appearance of one or more blue phases. The two principal models for the blue phases are two limiting cases of the Ginzburg-Landau theory. We explore each limit and conclude with some general considerations of defects in both models and an exact minimization of the free energy in a curved three-dimensional space.

Probing nanoscale ferroelectricity by ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenne, D A; Bruchhausen, A; Lanzillotti-Kimura, N D; Fainstein, A; Katiyar, R S; Cantarero, A; Soukiassian, A; Vaithyanathan, V; Haeni, J H; Tian, W; Schlom, D G; Choi, K J; Kim, D M; Eom, C B; Sun, H P; Pan, X Q; Li, Y L; Chen, L Q; Jia, Q X; Nakhmanson, S M; Rabe, K M; Xi, X X

2006-09-15

We demonstrated that ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy is an effective technique to measure the transition temperature (Tc) in ferroelectric ultrathin films and superlattices. We showed that one-unit-cell-thick BaTiO3 layers in BaTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices are not only ferroelectric (with Tc as high as 250 kelvin) but also polarize the quantum paraelectric SrTiO3 layers adjacent to them. Tc was tuned by approximately 500 kelvin by varying the thicknesses of the BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 layers, revealing the essential roles of electrical and mechanical boundary conditions for nanoscale ferroelectricity.

Flexoelectricity: strain gradient effects in ferroelectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma Wenhui [Department of Physics, Shantou Unversity, Shantou, Guangdong 515063 (China)

2007-12-15

Mechanical strain gradient induced polarization effect or flexoelectricity in perovskite-type ferroelectric and relaxor ferroelectric ceramics was investigated. The flexoelectric coefficients measured at room temperature ranged from about 1 {mu} C m{sup -1} for lead zirconate titanate to 100 {mu} C m{sup -1} for barium strontium titanate. Flexoelectric effects were discovered to be sensitive to chemical makeup, phase symmetry, and domain structures. Based on phenomenological discussion and experimental data on flexoelectricity, the present study proposed that mechanical strain gradient field could influence polarization responses in a way analogous to electric field. Flexoelectric coefficients were found to be nonlinearly enhanced by dielectric permittivity and strain gradient. Interfacial mismatch in epitaxial thin films can give rise to high strain gradients, enabling flexoelectric effects to make a significant impact in properly engineered ferroelectric heterostructure systems.

Stimuli-responsive liquid crystalline materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Debije, M.G.; Schenning, A.P.H.J.; Hashmi, Saleem

2016-01-01

Stimuli-responsive materials which respond to triggers from the environment by changing their properties are one of the focal points in materials science. For precise functional properties, well-defined hierarchically ordered supramolecular materials are crucial. The self-assembly of liquid crystals

Organic non-volatile memories from ferroelectric phase separated blends

Science.gov (United States)

Asadi, Kamal; de Leeuw, Dago; de Boer, Bert; Blom, Paul

2009-03-01

Ferroelectric polarisation is an attractive physical property for non-volatile binary switching. The functionality of the targeted memory should be based on resistive switching. Conductivity and ferroelectricity however cannot be tuned independently. The challenge is to develop a storage medium in which the favourable properties of ferroelectrics such as bistability and non-volatility can be combined with the beneficial properties provided by semiconductors such as conductivity and rectification. In this contribution we present an integrated solution by blending semiconducting and ferroelectric polymers into phase separated networks. The polarisation field of the ferroelectric modulates the injection barrier at the semiconductor--metal contact. This combination allows for solution-processed non-volatile memory arrays with a simple cross-bar architecture that can be read-out non-destructively. Based on this general concept a non-volatile, reversible switchable Schottky diode with relatively fast programming time of shorter than 100 microseconds, long information retention time of longer than 10^ days, and high programming cycle endurance with non-destructive read-out is demonstrated.

Lattice dynamics and central-mode phenomena in the dielectric response of ferroelectrics and related materials

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Buixaderas, Elena; Kamba, Stanislav; Petzelt, Jan

2004-01-01

Roč. 308, - (2004), s. 131-192 ISSN 0015-0193 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/01/0612; GA AV ČR IAA1010213; GA MŠk OC 525.20 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : phonons in crystal lattice * commensurate-incommensurate transitions * dielectric properties of solids and liquids * ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity * niobates * tantantalates * PZT ceramics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.517, year: 2004

A concept of ferroelectric microparticle propulsion thruster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarmolich, D.; Vekselman, V.; Krasik, Ya. E.

2008-01-01

A space propulsion concept using charged ferroelectric microparticles as a propellant is suggested. The measured ferroelectric plasma source thrust, produced mainly by microparticles emission, reaches ∼9x10 -4 N. The obtained trajectories of microparticles demonstrate that the majority of the microparticles are positively charged, which permits further improvement of the thruster

Ferroelectric Phase Diagram of PVDF:PMMA

OpenAIRE

Li, Mengyuan; Stingelin, Natalie; Michels, Jasper J.; Spijkman, Mark-Jan; Asadi, Kamal; Feldman, Kirill; Blom, Paul W. M.; de Leeuw, Dago M.

2012-01-01

We have investigated the ferroelectric phase diagram of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The binary nonequilibrium temperature composition diagram was determined and melting of alpha- and beta-phase PVDF was identified. Ferroelectric beta-PVDF:PMMA blend films were made by melting, ice quenching, and subsequent annealing above the glass transition temperature of PMMA, close to the melting temperature of PVDF. Addition of PMMA suppresses the crystallizatio...

Reversible optical control of macroscopic polarization in ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Marcos, Fernando; Ochoa, Diego A.; Del Campo, Adolfo; García, Miguel A.; Castro, Germán R.; Fernández, José F.; García, José E.

2018-01-01

The optical control of ferroic properties is a subject of fascination for the scientific community, because it involves the establishment of new paradigms for technology1-9. Domains and domain walls are known to have a great impact on the properties of ferroic materials1-24. Progress is currently being made in understanding the behaviour of the ferroelectric domain wall, especially regarding its dynamic control10-12,17,19. New research is being conducted to find effective methodologies capable of modulating ferroelectric domain motion for future electronics. However, the practical use of ferroelectric domain wall motion should be both stable and reversible (rewritable) and, in particular, be able to produce a macroscopic response that can be monitored easily12,17. Here, we show that it is possible to achieve a reversible optical change of ferroelectric domains configuration. This effect leads to the tuning of macroscopic polarization and its related properties by means of polarized light, a non-contact external control. Although this is only the first step, it nevertheless constitutes the most crucial one in the long and complex process of developing the next generation of photo-stimulated ferroelectric devices.

Glassy and Metastable Crystalline BaTi2O5 by Containerless Processing

Science.gov (United States)

Yoda, Shinichi; Kentei Yu, Yu; Kumar, Vijaya; Kameko, Masashi

Many efforts have been devoted to forming bulk glass from the melt of ferroelectric crystalline materials without adding any network-forming oxides such as SiO2 due to the potential for producing transparent glass ceramics with high dielectric constant and enhanced piezoelectric, pyroelectric and electro-optic use. The containerless processing is an attractive synthesis tech-nique as it can prevent melt contamination, minimize heterogeneous nucleation, and allow melt to achieve deep undercooling for forming metastable and glassy materials. We have fabricated a new ferroelectric materiel BaTi2 O5 [1] as bulk glass from melt by us-ing containerless processing and studied the phase relationship between microstructure and ferroelectric properties of BaTi2 O5 [2]. The structures of glassy and metastable crystalline BaTi2 O5 fabricated by the containerless pro-cessing were comprehensively investigated by combined X-ray and neutron diffractions, XANES analyses and computer simulations [3]. The 3-dimensional atomic structure of glassy BaTi2 O5 (g-BaTi2 O5 ), simulated by Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modelling on diffraction data, shows that extremely distorted TiO5 polyhedra interconnected with both corner-and edge-shared oxy-gen, formed a higher packing density structure than that of conventional silicate glass linked with only corner-sharing of SiO4 polyhedra. In addition, XANES measurement reveales that five-coordinated TiO5 polyhedra were formable in the crystallized metastable a-and b-BaTi2 O5 phases. The structure of metastable b-BaTi2 O5 was solved by ab initio calculation, and refined by Rietveld refinement as group Pnma with unit lattices a = 10.23784 ˚, b = 3.92715 ˚, c A A = 10.92757 A ˚. Our results show that the glass-forming ability enhanced by containerless pro-cessing, not by `strong glass former', fabricated new bulk oxide glasses with peculiar structures and properties. The intermediate-range structure of g-BaTi2 O5 and the crystalline structure of

Alignment technology and applications of liquid crystal devices

CERN Document Server

Takatoh, Kohki; Hasegawa, Ray; Koden, Mitsushiro; Itoh, Nobuyuki; Hasegawa, Masaki

2005-01-01

Alignment phenomena are characteristic of liquid crystalline materials, and understanding them is critically important in understanding the essential features and behavior of liquid crystals and the performance of Liquid Crystal Devices (LCDs). Furthermore, in LCD production lines, the alignment process is of practical importance. Alignment Technologies and Applications of Liquid Crystal Devices demonstrates both the fundamental and practical aspects of alignment phenomena in liquid crystals. The physical basis of alignment phenomena is first introduced in order to aid the understanding of the various physical phenomena observed in the interface between liquid crystalline materials and alignment layer surfaces. Methods for the characterization of surfaces, which induce the alignment phenomena, and of the alignment layer itself are introduced. These methods are useful for the research of liquid crystalline materials and devices in academic research as well as in industry. In the practical sections, the alignme...

Perovskite oxides for visible-light-absorbing ferroelectric and photovoltaic materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Grinberg, Ilya; West, D Vincent; Torres, Maria; Gou, Gaoyang; Stein, David M; Wu, Liyan; Chen, Guannan; Gallo, Eric M; Akbashev, Andrew R; Davies, Peter K; Spanier, Jonathan E; Rappe, Andrew M

2013-11-28

Ferroelectrics have recently attracted attention as a candidate class of materials for use in photovoltaic devices, and for the coupling of light absorption with other functional properties. In these materials, the strong inversion symmetry breaking that is due to spontaneous electric polarization promotes the desirable separation of photo-excited carriers and allows voltages higher than the bandgap, which may enable efficiencies beyond the maximum possible in a conventional p-n junction solar cell. Ferroelectric oxides are also stable in a wide range of mechanical, chemical and thermal conditions and can be fabricated using low-cost methods such as sol-gel thin-film deposition and sputtering. Recent work has shown how a decrease in ferroelectric layer thickness and judicious engineering of domain structures and ferroelectric-electrode interfaces can greatly increase the current harvested from ferroelectric absorber materials, increasing the power conversion efficiency from about 10(-4) to about 0.5 per cent. Further improvements in photovoltaic efficiency have been inhibited by the wide bandgaps (2.7-4 electronvolts) of ferroelectric oxides, which allow the use of only 8-20 per cent of the solar spectrum. Here we describe a family of single-phase solid oxide solutions made from low-cost and non-toxic elements using conventional solid-state methods: [KNbO3]1 - x[BaNi1/2Nb1/2O3 - δ]x (KBNNO). These oxides exhibit both ferroelectricity and a wide variation of direct bandgaps in the range 1.1-3.8 electronvolts. In particular, the x = 0.1 composition is polar at room temperature, has a direct bandgap of 1.39 electronvolts and has a photocurrent density approximately 50 times larger than that of the classic ferroelectric (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 material. The ability of KBNNO to absorb three to six times more solar energy than the current ferroelectric materials suggests a route to viable ferroelectric semiconductor-based cells for solar energy conversion and

Ferroelectricity in high-density H{sub 2}O ice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caracas, Razvan, E-mail: razvan.caracas@ens-lyon.fr, E-mail: rhemley@ciw.edu [CNRS, Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon UMR5276, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46, alleé d’Italie, Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, 69364 Lyon cedex 07 (France); Hemley, Russell J., E-mail: razvan.caracas@ens-lyon.fr, E-mail: rhemley@ciw.edu [Geophysical Laboratory, 5251 Broad Branch Road NW, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015 (United States)

2015-04-07

The origin of longstanding anomalies in experimental studies of the dense solid phases of H{sub 2}O ices VII, VIII, and X is examined using a combination of first-principles theoretical methods. We find that a ferroelectric variant of ice VIII is energetically competitive with the established antiferroelectric form under pressure. The existence of domains of the ferroelectric form within anti-ferroelectric ice can explain previously observed splittings in x-ray diffraction data. The ferroelectric form is stabilized by density and is accompanied by the onset of spontaneous polarization. The presence of local electric fields triggers the preferential parallel orientation of the water molecules in the structure, which could be stabilized in bulk using new high-pressure techniques.

Hard sphere-like glass transition in eye lens α-crystallin solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Foffi, Giuseppe; Savin, Gabriela; Bucciarelli, Saskia; Dorsaz, Nicolas; Thurston, George M; Stradner, Anna; Schurtenberger, Peter

2014-11-25

We study the equilibrium liquid structure and dynamics of dilute and concentrated bovine eye lens α-crystallin solutions, using small-angle X-ray scattering, static and dynamic light scattering, viscometry, molecular dynamics simulations, and mode-coupling theory. We find that a polydisperse Percus-Yevick hard-sphere liquid-structure model accurately reproduces both static light scattering data and small-angle X-ray scattering liquid structure data from α-crystallin solutions over an extended range of protein concentrations up to 290 mg/mL or 49% vol fraction and up to ca. 330 mg/mL for static light scattering. The measured dynamic light scattering and viscosity properties are also consistent with those of hard-sphere colloids and show power laws characteristic of an approach toward a glass transition at α-crystallin volume fractions near 58%. Dynamic light scattering at a volume fraction beyond the glass transition indicates formation of an arrested state. We further perform event-driven molecular dynamics simulations of polydisperse hard-sphere systems and use mode-coupling theory to compare the measured dynamic power laws with those of hard-sphere models. The static and dynamic data, simulations, and analysis show that aqueous eye lens α-crystallin solutions exhibit a glass transition at high concentrations that is similar to those found in hard-sphere colloidal systems. The α-crystallin glass transition could have implications for the molecular basis of presbyopia and the kinetics of molecular change during cataractogenesis.

Reactions and Interactions in Liquid Crystalline Media

Science.gov (United States)

1991-10-30

nematic lyophases of potassium laurate, myristyl tri methylammonium bromide or sodium decylsulfate with 1-decanol and 23 water. A strong retardation of the...crystalline polyacrylate crosslinked elastomers were synthesized. 198c 0 0 96 0 0 0O-(CH12 ) 2 -0O(k 97 Crosslinking, up to 10% of structural units produced...in their isotropic state and they work as the transporting phase for the azo-crown ether molecules. The permeation of K+ from a potassium p

Removable polytetrafluoroethylene template based epitaxy of ferroelectric copolymer thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Wei; Chen, Qiusong; Zhang, Jian; Wang, Hui; Cheng, Qian; Jiang, Yulong; Zhu, Guodong

2018-04-01

In recent years ferroelectric polymers have shown their great potentials in organic and flexible electronics. To meet the requirements of high-performance and low energy consumption of novel electronic devices and systems, structural and electrical properties of ferroelectric polymer thin films are expected to be further optimized. One possible way is to realize epitaxial growth of ferroelectric thin films via removable high-ordered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) templates. Here two key parameters in epitaxy process, annealing temperature and applied pressure, are systematically studied and thus optimized through structural and electrical measurements of ferroelectric copolymer thin films. Experimental results indicate that controlled epitaxial growth is realized via suitable combination of both parameters. Annealing temperature above the melting point of ferroelectric copolymer films is required, and simultaneously moderate pressure (around 2.0 MPa here) should be applied. Over-low pressure (around 1.0 MPa here) usually results in the failure of epitaxy process, while over-high pressure (around 3.0 MPa here) often results in residual of PTFE templates on ferroelectric thin films.

Tunable Microwave Filter Design Using Thin-Film Ferroelectric Varactors

Science.gov (United States)

Haridasan, Vrinda

Military, space, and consumer-based communication markets alike are moving towards multi-functional, multi-mode, and portable transceiver units. Ferroelectric-based tunable filter designs in RF front-ends are a relatively new area of research that provides a potential solution to support wideband and compact transceiver units. This work presents design methodologies developed to optimize a tunable filter design for system-level integration, and to improve the performance of a ferroelectric-based tunable bandpass filter. An investigative approach to find the origins of high insertion loss exhibited by these filters is also undertaken. A system-aware design guideline and figure of merit for ferroelectric-based tunable band- pass filters is developed. The guideline does not constrain the filter bandwidth as long as it falls within the range of the analog bandwidth of a system's analog to digital converter. A figure of merit (FOM) that optimizes filter design for a specific application is presented. It considers the worst-case filter performance parameters and a tuning sensitivity term that captures the relation between frequency tunability and the underlying material tunability. A non-tunable parasitic fringe capacitance associated with ferroelectric-based planar capacitors is confirmed by simulated and measured results. The fringe capacitance is an appreciable proportion of the tunable capacitance at frequencies of X-band and higher. As ferroelectric-based tunable capac- itors form tunable resonators in the filter design, a proportionally higher fringe capacitance reduces the capacitance tunability which in turn reduces the frequency tunability of the filter. Methods to reduce the fringe capacitance can thus increase frequency tunability or indirectly reduce the filter insertion-loss by trading off the increased tunability achieved to lower loss. A new two-pole tunable filter topology with high frequency tunability (> 30%), steep filter skirts, wide stopband

Crystallinity and properties of C60 nanotubes improved by annealing and alcohol-soaking

Science.gov (United States)

Naito, K.; Matsuishi, K.

2009-04-01

Well-uniformed C60 nanotubes were grown at -20 °C with irradiation of red light using C60-saturated pyridine solution and isopropyl alcohol by a liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method without ultrasonic pulverization. We attempted to improve their crystallinity by two post-treatments; thermal annealing and alcohol-soaking. The crystallinity of as-grown and dried C60 nanotubes, which was poor due to the evaporation of solvent molecules from crystals in the drying process, was improved by annealing around 220 °C for 5 hours in vacuum. Dramatic improvement of crystallinity of as-grown samples was achieved by soaking into methanol and then drying in air. Raman, infrared and X-ray diffraction results suggest that the methanol-soaked samples exhibit a solvated tetragonal structure. The crystallinity improved by methanol-soaking did not degrade after removal of methanol molecules from samples by thermal annealing. Photo-polymerization of the structurally-improved C60 nanotubes was examined to investigate an effect of crystallinity on the polymerization kinetics.

Crystallinity and properties of C60 nanotubes improved by annealing and alcohol-soaking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, K; Matsuishi, K

2009-01-01

Well-uniformed C 60 nanotubes were grown at -20 deg. C with irradiation of red light using C 60 -saturated pyridine solution and isopropyl alcohol by a liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method without ultrasonic pulverization. We attempted to improve their crystallinity by two post-treatments; thermal annealing and alcohol-soaking. The crystallinity of as-grown and dried C 60 nanotubes, which was poor due to the evaporation of solvent molecules from crystals in the drying process, was improved by annealing around 220 deg. C for 5 hours in vacuum. Dramatic improvement of crystallinity of as-grown samples was achieved by soaking into methanol and then drying in air. Raman, infrared and X-ray diffraction results suggest that the methanol-soaked samples exhibit a solvated tetragonal structure. The crystallinity improved by methanol-soaking did not degrade after removal of methanol molecules from samples by thermal annealing. Photo-polymerization of the structurally-improved C 60 nanotubes was examined to investigate an effect of crystallinity on the polymerization kinetics.

Smectic order and backbone anisotropy of a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Noirez, L.; Pépy, G.; Keller, P.; Benguigui, L.

1991-07-01

We have simultaneously measured, for the first time, the extension of the polymer backbone of a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer and the intensity of the 001 Bragg reflection, which gives the smectic order parameter Psi as a function of temperature in the smectic phase. We have qualitatively demonstrated that the more the smectic phase is ordered, the more the polymer backbone is localized between the mesogenic layers. It is shown that the Landau theory allows us to relate the radius of gyration parallel to the magnetic field of the polymer backbone to the smectic order parameter. We also show that the Renz-Warner theory is suitable at low temperatures.

A novel readout integrated circuit for ferroelectric FPA detector

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Piji; Li, Lihua; Ji, Yulong; Zhang, Jia; Li, Min; Liang, Yan; Hu, Yanbo; Li, Songying

2017-11-01

Uncooled infrared detectors haves some advantages such as low cost light weight low power consumption, and superior reliability, compared with cryogenically cooled ones Ferroelectric uncooled focal plane array(FPA) are being developed for its AC response and its high reliability As a key part of the ferroelectric assembly the ROIC determines the performance of the assembly. A top-down design model for uncooled ferroelectric readout integrated circuit(ROIC) has been developed. Based on the optical thermal and electrical properties of the ferroelectric detector the RTIA readout integrated circuit is designed. The noise bandwidth of RTIA readout circuit has been developed and analyzed. A novel high gain amplifier, a high pass filter and a low pass filter circuits are designed on the ROIC. In order to improve the ferroelectric FPA package performance and decrease of package cost a temperature sensor is designed on the ROIC chip At last the novel RTIA ROIC is implemented on 0.6μm 2P3M CMOS silicon techniques. According to the experimental chip test results the temporal root mean square(RMS)noise voltage is about 1.4mV the sensitivity of the on chip temperature sensor is 0.6 mV/K from -40°C to 60°C the linearity performance of the ROIC chip is better than 99% Based on the 320×240 RTIA ROIC, a 320×240 infrared ferroelectric FPA is fabricated and tested. Test results shows that the 320×240 RTIA ROIC meets the demand of infrared ferroelectric FPA.

Ultrafast Photovoltaic Response in Ferroelectric Nanolayers

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-19

the free energy of the system [3,4,8]. Intensive research has been aimed at bypassing the intrinsic size limits imposed by the depolarization field...Page 1 of 21   Ultrafast photovoltaic response in ferroelectric nanolayers Dan Daranciang1,2, Matthew J. Highland3, Haidan Wen4, Steve M. Young5...ferroelectric PbTiO3 via direct coupling to its intrinsic photovoltaic response. Using time-resolved x-ray scattering to visualize atomic displacements on

Functional Properties of Polydomain Ferroelectric Oxide Thin Films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houwman, Evert Pieter; Vergeer, Kurt; Koster, Gertjan; Rijnders, Augustinus J.H.M.; Nishikawa, H.; Iwata, N.; Endo, T.; Takamura, Y.; Lee, G-H.; Mele, P.

2017-01-01

The properties of a ferroelectric, (001)-oriented, thin film clamped to a substrate are investigated analytically and numerically. The emphasis is on the tetragonal, polydomain, ferroelectric phase, using a three domain structure, as is observed experimentally, instead of the two-domain structure

Depolarization corrections to the coercive field in thin-film ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawber, M; Chandra, P; Littlewood, P B; Scott, J F

2003-01-01

Empirically, the coercive field needed to reverse the polarization in a ferroelectric increases with decreasing film thickness. For ferroelectric films of 100 μm to 100 nm in thickness the coercive field has been successfully described by a semi-empirical scaling law. Accounting for depolarization corrections, we show that this scaling behaviour is consistent with field measurements of ultrathin ferroelectric capacitors down to one nanometre in film thickness. Our results also indicate that the minimum film thickness, determined by a polarization instability, can be tuned by the choice of electrodes, and recommendations for next-generation ferroelectric devices are discussed. (letter to the editor)

Depolarization corrections to the coercive field in thin-film ferroelectrics

CERN Document Server

Dawber, M; Littlewood, P B; Scott, J F

2003-01-01

Empirically, the coercive field needed to reverse the polarization in a ferroelectric increases with decreasing film thickness. For ferroelectric films of 100 mu m to 100 nm in thickness the coercive field has been successfully described by a semi-empirical scaling law. Accounting for depolarization corrections, we show that this scaling behaviour is consistent with field measurements of ultrathin ferroelectric capacitors down to one nanometre in film thickness. Our results also indicate that the minimum film thickness, determined by a polarization instability, can be tuned by the choice of electrodes, and recommendations for next-generation ferroelectric devices are discussed. (letter to the editor)

THERMAL DEGRADATION OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE TERPOLYESTERS BASED ON VANILLIC ACID, p-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID AND POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Xingui; HUANG Meirong; GUAN Guihe; SUN Tong

1993-01-01

Nine thermotropic liquid crystalline terpolyesters based on vanillic acid(V), p-hydroxybenzoic acid(H) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)(E) were investigated by thermogravimetry to ascertain their thermostability and the kinetic parameters for thermal degradation. Overall activation energy data of the degradation had been calculated over the range 5～70% weight loss. The temperatures and the activation energy of the degradation lie in the ranges of 384～394 ℃ at a heating rate of 1 ℃/min and 176～205 KJ/mol at the weight loss of 5%, respectively, which suggests that the terpolyesters have good thermostability.

Characterization of the local layer structure of a broad wall in a surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal using synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iida, Atsuo; Noma, Takashi; Miyata, Hirokatsu.

1996-01-01

The local layer structure of the broad wall of a zig-zag defect in a thin-surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal cell was characterized using a synchrotron X-ray microbeam of less than 5 μm spatial resolution. By using a rocking curve measurement at the broad wall, multiple or broad peaks were observed between a pair of peaks due to a chevron structure. These new peaks are clear evidence of a modified pseudo-bookshelf structure at the wall. For 1.5 μm thick cells, a bookshelf layer is relatively flat, but is accompanied by small areas of inclined layer connecting the bookshelf and the chevron structures. For 10 μm thick cells, the pseudo-bookshelf structure bends or undulates both perpendicular and parallel to the rubbing direction. No appreciable change in the layer spacing was observed in the modified pseudo-bookshelf structure. The temperature dependence of the broad wall layer structure was also measured. (author)

Characterization of the local layer structure of a broad wall in a surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal using synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iida, Atsuo [National Lab. for High Energy Physics, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Noma, Takashi; Miyata, Hirokatsu

1996-01-01

The local layer structure of the broad wall of a zig-zag defect in a thin-surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal cell was characterized using a synchrotron X-ray microbeam of less than 5 {mu}m spatial resolution. By using a rocking curve measurement at the broad wall, multiple or broad peaks were observed between a pair of peaks due to a chevron structure. These new peaks are clear evidence of a modified pseudo-bookshelf structure at the wall. For 1.5 {mu}m thick cells, a bookshelf layer is relatively flat, but is accompanied by small areas of inclined layer connecting the bookshelf and the chevron structures. For 10 {mu}m thick cells, the pseudo-bookshelf structure bends or undulates both perpendicular and parallel to the rubbing direction. No appreciable change in the layer spacing was observed in the modified pseudo-bookshelf structure. The temperature dependence of the broad wall layer structure was also measured. (author)

Raman analysis of ferroelectric switching in niobium-doped lead zirconate titanate thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrari, P.; Ramos-Moore, E.; Guitar, M.A.; Cabrera, A.L.

2014-01-01

Characteristic Raman vibration modes of niobium-doped lead zirconate titanate (PNZT) are studied as a function of ferroelectric domain switching. The microstructure of PNZT is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Ferroelectric switching is achieved by applying voltages between the top (Au) and bottom (Pt) electrodes, while acquiring the Raman spectra in situ. Vibrational active modes associated with paraelectric and ferroelectric phases are identified after measuring above and below the ferroelectric Curie temperature, respectively. Changes in the relative intensities of the Raman peaks are observed as a function of the switching voltage. The peak area associated with the ferroelectric modes is analyzed as a function of the applied voltage within one ferroelectric polarization loop, showing local maxima around the coercive voltage. This behavior can be understood in terms of the correlation between vibrational and structural properties, since ferroelectric switching modifies the interaction between the body-centered atom (Zr, Ti or Nb) and the Pb–O lattice. - Highlights: • Electric fields induce structural distortions on ferroelectric perovskites. • Ferroelectric capacitor was fabricated to perform hysteresis loops. • Raman analysis was performed in situ during ferroelectric switching. • Raman modes show hysteresis and inflections around the coercive voltages. • Data can be understood in terms of vibrational–structural correlations

Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, M.; Safari, A.; Kingon, A.; Haertling, G.

1993-02-01

The eighth International Symposium on the Applications of Ferroelectrics was held in Greenville, SC, on August 30 to Sept 2, 1992. It was attended by approximately 260 scientists and engineers who presented nearly 200 oral and poster papers. The three plenary presentations covered ferroelectric materials which are currently moving into commercial exploitation or have strong potential to do so. These were (1) pyroelectric imaging, (2) ferroelectric materials integrated with silicon for use as micromotors and microsensors and (3) research activity in Japan on high permittivity materials for DRAM's. Invited papers covered such subjects as pyroelectric and electrooptic properties of thin films, photorefractive effects, ferroelectric polymers, piezoelectric transducers, processing of ferroelectrics, domain switching in ferroelectrics, thin film memories, thin film vacuum deposition techniques and the fabrication of chemically prepared PZT and PLZT thin films. The papers continued to reflect the large interest in ferroelectric thin films. It was encouraging that there have been substantial strides made in both the processing and understanding of the films in the last two years. It was equally clear, however, that much still remains to be done before reliable thin film devices will be available in the marketplace.

Bicontinuous liquid crystals

CERN Document Server

Lynch, Mathew L

2005-01-01

PrefaceIntroduction AcknowledgmentsBicontinuous Cubic Liquid Crystalline Materials: A Historical Perspective and Modern Assessment; Kr̄e LarssonIntermediate Phases; Michael C. Holmes and Marc S. LeaverCubic Phases and Human Skin: Theory and Practice; Steven Hoath and Lars NorlňThe Relationship between Bicontinuous Inverted Cubic Phases and Membrane Fusion; D.P. SiegelAspects of the Differential Geometry and Topology of Bicontinuous Liquid-Crystalline Phases; Robert W. CorkeryNovel L3 Phases and Their Macroscopic Properties; R. Beck and H. HoffmannBicontinuous Cubic Phases of Lipids with Entra

Giant electroresistance of super-tetragonal BiFeO3-based ferroelectric tunnel junctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Hiroyuki; Garcia, Vincent; Fusil, Stéphane; Boyn, Sören; Marinova, Maya; Gloter, Alexandre; Xavier, Stéphane; Grollier, Julie; Jacquet, Eric; Carrétéro, Cécile; Deranlot, Cyrile; Bibes, Manuel; Barthélémy, Agnès

2013-06-25

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions enable a nondestructive readout of the ferroelectric state via a change of resistance induced by switching the ferroelectric polarization. We fabricated submicrometer solid-state ferroelectric tunnel junctions based on a recently discovered polymorph of BiFeO3 with giant axial ratio ("T-phase"). Applying voltage pulses to the junctions leads to the highest resistance changes (OFF/ON ratio >10,000) ever reported with ferroelectric tunnel junctions. Along with the good retention properties, this giant effect reinforces the interest in nonvolatile memories based on ferroelectric tunnel junctions. We also show that the changes in resistance scale with the nucleation and growth of ferroelectric domains in the ultrathin BiFeO3 (imaged by piezoresponse force microscopy), thereby suggesting potential as multilevel memory cells and memristors.

Temperature dependence of electronic transport property in ferroelectric polymer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, X.L.; Wang, J.L., E-mail: jlwang@mail.sitp.ac.cn; Tian, B.B.; Liu, B.L.; Zou, Y.H.; Wang, X.D.; Sun, S.; Sun, J.L., E-mail: jlsun@mail.sitp.ac.cn; Meng, X.J.; Chu, J.H.

2014-10-15

Highlights: • The ferroelectric polymer was fabricated by Langmuir–Blodgett method. • The electrons as the dominant injected carrier were conformed in the ferroelectric polymer films. • The leakage current conduction mechanisms in ferroelectric polymer were investigated. - Abstract: The leakage current mechanism of ferroelectric copolymer of polyvinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene prepared by Langmuir–Blodgett was investigated in the temperature range from 100 K to 350 K. The electron as the dominant injected carrier was observed in the ferroelectric copolymer films. The transport mechanisms in copolymer strongly depend on the temperature and applied voltage. From 100 K to 200 K, Schottky emission dominates the conduction. With temperature increasing, the Frenkel–Poole emission instead of the Schottky emission to conduct the carrier transport. When the temperature gets to 260 K, the leakage current becomes independent of temperature, and the space charge limited current conduction was observed.

Hybrid dual gate ferroelectric memory for multilevel information storage

KAUST Repository

Khan, Yasser

2015-01-01

Here, we report hybrid organic/inorganic ferroelectric memory with multilevel information storage using transparent p-type SnO semiconductor and ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) polymer. The dual gate devices include a top ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) and a bottom thin-film transistor (TFT). The devices are all fabricated at low temperatures (∼200°C), and demonstrate excellent performance with high hole mobility of 2.7 cm2 V-1 s-1, large memory window of ∼18 V, and a low sub-threshold swing ∼-4 V dec-1. The channel conductance of the bottom-TFT and the top-FeFET can be controlled independently by the bottom and top gates, respectively. The results demonstrate multilevel nonvolatile information storage using ferroelectric memory devices with good retention characteristics.

Giant electrode effect on tunnelling electroresistance in ferroelectric tunnel junctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Soni, Rohit; Petraru, Adrian; Meuffels, Paul; Vavra, Ondrej; Ziegler, Martin; Kim, Seong Keun; Jeong, Doo Seok; Pertsev, Nikolay A; Kohlstedt, Hermann

2014-11-17

Among recently discovered ferroelectricity-related phenomena, the tunnelling electroresistance (TER) effect in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) has been attracting rapidly increasing attention owing to the emerging possibilities of non-volatile memory, logic and neuromorphic computing applications of these quantum nanostructures. Despite recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies of FTJs, many questions concerning their electrical behaviour still remain open. In particular, the role of ferroelectric/electrode interfaces and the separation of the ferroelectric-driven TER effect from electrochemical ('redox'-based) resistance-switching effects have to be clarified. Here we report the results of a comprehensive study of epitaxial junctions comprising BaTiO(3) barrier, La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) bottom electrode and Au or Cu top electrodes. Our results demonstrate a giant electrode effect on the TER of these asymmetric FTJs. The revealed phenomena are attributed to the microscopic interfacial effect of ferroelectric origin, which is supported by the observation of redox-based resistance switching at much higher voltages.

Nanoscience with liquid crystals from self-organized nanostructures to applications

CERN Document Server

Li, Quan

2014-01-01

This book focuses on the exciting topic of nanoscience with liquid crystals: from self-organized nanostructures to applications. The elegant self-organized liquid crystalline nanostructures, the synergetic characteristics of liquid crystals and nanoparticles, liquid crystalline nanomaterials, synthesis of nanomaterials using liquid crystals as templates, nanoconfinement and nanoparticles of liquid crystals are covered and discussed, and the prospect of fabricating functional materials is highlighted. Contributions, collecting the scattered literature of the field from leading and active player

Mechanosynthesis of the ferroelectric materials Ba2ANb5O15 (A = K, Na, Li)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khachane, M.; Moure, A.; Elaatmani, M.; Zegzouti, A.; Daoud, M.; Castro, A.

2006-01-01

A novel mechanochemical activation route was applied in order to obtain the Ba 2 ANb 5 O 15 (A = K, Na, Li) ferroelectric materials. The evolution of the 4BaO 2 :A 2 CO 3 :5Nb 2 O 5 powder mixtures during mechanical treatment and subsequent annealings, was followed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sought bronze-type phases were mechanosynthesized after 48 h of treatment in a planetary mill. Very crystalline phases can be obtained with very important decreases in the temperatures and reaction times as compared with the traditional ceramic method. Dense ceramics were processed from mechanosynthesized precursors at relative low temperature, by a conventional-sintering route, and their dielectric properties characterized

Why is the electrocaloric effect so small in ferroelectrics?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. G. Guzmán-Verri

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Ferroelectrics are attractive candidate materials for environmentally friendly solid state refrigeration free of greenhouse gases. Their thermal response upon variations of external electric fields is largest in the vicinity of their phase transitions, which may occur near room temperature. The magnitude of the effect, however, is too small for useful cooling applications even when they are driven close to dielectric breakdown. Insight from microscopic theory is therefore needed to characterize materials and provide guiding principles to search for new ones with enhanced electrocaloric performance. Here, we derive from well-known microscopic models of ferroelectricity meaningful figures of merit for a wide class of ferroelectric materials. Such figures of merit provide insight into the relation between the strength of the effect and the characteristic interactions of ferroelectrics such as dipolar forces. We find that the long range nature of these interactions results in a small effect. A strategy is proposed to make it larger by shortening the correlation lengths of fluctuations of polarization. In addition, we bring into question other widely used but empirical figures of merit and facilitate understanding of the recently observed secondary broad peak in the electrocalorics of relaxor ferroelectrics.

Effect of substrate temperature in the structural, optical and ferroelectric properties of thin films of BaTiO{sub 3} deposited by RF sputtering; Efecto de la temperatura de substrato en las propiedades estructurales, opticas y ferroelectricas de peliculas delgadas de BaTiO{sub 3} depositadas por RF sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marquez H, A. [Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Coordinacion Academica Region Altiplano, Carretera a Cedral Km. 5 -600, Matehuala, 78800 San Luis Potosi (Mexico); Hernandez R, E.; Zapata T, M. [IPN, Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Unidad Legaria, Calz. Legaria 694, Col. Irrigacion, 11500 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Calzadilla A, O. [Universidad de la Habana, Facultad de Fisica-IMRE, San Lazaro y L. Municipio Plaza de la Revolucion, La Habana (Cuba); Melendez L, M. [IPN, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, Departamento de Fisica, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

2012-07-01

Thin films of Barium Titanate (BaTiO{sub 3}) were grown on nichrome and quartz substrates, using a BaTiO{sub 3} target, by RF sputtering technique. We varied the substrate temperature in order to study its effect on the structural, optical and ferroelectric properties of the samples. The results of the X-ray diffraction showed tetragonal structure with increases of the crystallinity as increases the substrate temperature. Furthermore, it observed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy that the band gap decreased as the substrate temperature increases showing abrupt sharp decrease at 494.8{sup o} C. The ferroelectric properties of the films showed a dependence with substrate temperature, the best ferroelectric answer was obtained at 494.8{sup o} C. (Author)

A prediction of rate-dependent behaviour in ferroelectric polycrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sang-Joo

2007-01-01

Rate-dependent behaviour of a polycrystalline ferroelectric material is predicted based on thermal activation theory and a representative volume element model. First, the behaviour of a ferroelectric single crystal is calculated from a recently proposed three-dimensional free energy model [S.J. Kim, S. Seelecke, Int. J. Solids Struct. 44 (2007) 1196-1209]. Then, from the calculated single crystal responses, poling behaviour of a ferroelectric polycrystal is obtained in three different ways, two representative volume element models and Gaussian integration method. It is found that a dodecahedron representative volume element consisting of 210 crystallites is the best choice among the three methods. Finally, the behaviour of a ferroelectric polycrystal under various electric and stress loads is calculated using the chosen RVE model. The calculated responses are compared qualitatively with experimental observations, and the effects of crystal orientation and polycrystallinity are discussed

Giant Electrocaloric Effect in Ferroelectrics with Tailored Polaw-Nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Qiming [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

2015-06-24

systems with nano- and meso-scale disorders. Through the efforts of this DoE program, we have developed understandings for many questions and materials approaches for many hypotheses listed above. The major accomplishments include: (i) The first one to show that a giant ECE can be obtained in bulk materials of ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer, which has a large ß coefficient and high polarization, near FE-PE transition.[1,3,12] (ii) The first who developed the theoretical analyses on the upper bound of dipolar entropy change in polar-materials and the general approach to maximize the coexisting phases with vanishingly small switching fields among the coexisting phases[10,23] Experimental results confirm these theoretical predictions.[24] (iii) The first to show that the relaxor ferroelectrics, due to built-in defects structures at nano- and meso scale, exhibit a giant ECE over a broad temperature range.[1,3,7,14] (iv) The first to show that a large ECE can be obtained near order-disorder transition in dielectric fluids such as liquid crystals with large dielectric anisotropy. Also the study developed a general approach for developing dielectric fluids to achieve a large electric field induced entropy change.[26] (v) We are starting to explore the multi-field effect (multiferroic effect) in nanocomposites in which there exist large dielectric contrasts between the matrix and nanofilelrs and showed that a significantly enhanced ECE compared with polymer matrix.[36] (vi) By facially tuning the nano- and meso-scale dipolar coupling, we are the first to show that an anomalous ECE can be obtained in a relaxor/normal ferroelectric blend.[39] (vii) Introduced and demonstrated that the internal bias field approach can be effective in enhancing the EC response at low electric field. The result is significant since for practical applications, a low applied field is highly desired. (viii) A high sensitivity ECE characterization system has been developed. This program has made

Ferroelectric response in an achiral non-symmetric bent liquid crystal:C{sub 12}C{sub 10}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subrahmanyam, S.V.; Chalapathi, P.V. [Department of Physics, University College of Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada, Kakinada 533003 (India); Mahabaleshwara, S.; Srinivasulu, M. [Department of Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University, Manipal 576104 (India); George, A.K. [Department of Physics, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box-36, PC-123, Muscat (Oman); Potukuchi, D.M., E-mail: potukuchidm@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, University College of Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada, Kakinada 533003 (India)

2014-10-01

An achiral Non-Symmetric Bent Liquid Crystal (BLC) with a Oxadiazole based hetero cyclic central moiety, abbreviated as C{sub 12}C{sub 10} viz., dodecyl[4-{5-(4′-decyloxy)biphenyl-4-yl}-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl]benzoate, exhibiting FerroElectric (FE) response is reported. Product is confirmed by {sup 1}H NMR, {sup 13}C NMR and elemental analysis. Characterization of BLC phases is carried out by Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Spontaneous Polarization (P{sub S}) and Low Frequency (10 Hz–10 MHz) Dielectric Relaxation studies. C{sub 12}C{sub 10} exhibits enantiotropic LC SmA, FE B{sub 2}, SmG, SmE phase variance. I–SmA, B{sub 2}–SmG and SmG–SmE transitions are of first order nature. FE B{sub 2} phases exhibits a moderate P{sub S} of ∼80 nC cm{sup −2}. B{sub 2} phase exhibits Curie–Weiss behavior to confirm FE nature. Off-centered low frequency (KHz) dispersion infers a scissor mode and a high frequency (MHz) mode to reflect the distinct time-scale response. Dielectric Dispersion is relatively susceptible in lower frequency KHz region. Arrhenius shift in Relaxation Frequency (f{sub R}) infers higher activation energy (E{sub a}) in non-FE phases for HF mode and lower value for KHz mode. Trends of f{sub R}, dielectric strength Δε, α-parameter and E{sub a} are discussed in view of the data reported in other LC compounds.

Structural, dielectric and ferroelectric characterization of PZT thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Araújo E.B.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available In this work ferroelectric thin films of PZT were prepared by the oxide precursor method, deposited on Pt/Si substrate. Films of 0.5 mm average thickness were obtained. Electrical and ferroelectric characterization were carried out in these films. The measured value of the dielectric constant for films was 455. Ferroelectricity was confirmed by Capacitance-Voltage (C-V characteristics and P-E hysteresis loops. Remanent polarization for films presented value around 5.0 µC/cm2 and a coercive field of 88.8 kV/cm.

Distance-dependent metal enhanced fluorescence by flowerlike silver nanostructures fabricated in liquid crystalline phase

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Yang, Chengliang; Zhang, Guiyang; Peng, Zenghui; Yao, Lishuang; Wang, Qidong; Cao, Zhaoliang; Mu, Quanquan; Xuan, Li

2017-10-01

Flowerlike silver nanostructure substrates were fabricated in liquid crystalline phase and the distance dependent property of metal enhanced fluorescence for such substrate was studied for the first time. The distance between silver nanostructures and fluorophore was controlled by the well-established layer-by-layer (LbL) technique constructing alternate layers of poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS). The Rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules were electrostatically attached to the outmost negative charged PSS layer. The fluorescence enhancement factor of flowerlike nanostructure substrate increased firstly and then decreased with the distance increasing. The best enhanced fluorescence intensity of 71 fold was obtained at a distance of 5.2 nm from the surface of flowerlike silver nanostructure. The distance for best enhancement effect is an instructive parameter for the applications of such substrates and could be used in the practical MEF applications with the flowerlike nanostructure substrates fabricated in such way which is simple, controllable and cost-effective.

Guided mode studies of smectic liquid crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hodder, B.

2000-03-01

Recently there has been considerable interest in the use of ferroelectric liquid crystals in low power, fast switching display devices. At present the voltage switching process in surface stabilised ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) devices is not fully understood and a convenient theory for such cells has yet to be found. It is the primary aim of this work to characterise the optic tensor configuration (director profile) in thin cells (∼ 3.5 μm) containing ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) material. These results form a benchmark by which continuum theories may be tested. Polarised microscopy is, perhaps, the most common optical probe of liquid crystal cells. It should be appreciated that this technique is fundamentally limited, as the results are deduced from an integrated optical response of any given cell, and cannot be used to spatially resolve details of the director profile through the cell. The guided mode techniques used in this study are the primary non-integral probe and enable detailed spatial resolution of the director profile within liquid crystal cells. Analysis of guided mode data from cells containing homeotropically aligned FLC reveals the temperature dependence of the optical biaxiality and cone angle for a 40% chiral mixture of the commercially available FLC SCE8*. From these optical biaxiality measurements the temperature dependence of the biaxial order parameter C is determined. Guided mode studies of cells containing homogeneously aligned SCE8* (the conventional alignment for SSFLC devices) reveal the 0V equilibrium director profile from which a cone and chevron model is constructed. Subsequent studies of voltage induced elastic deformations of the director profile are presented and compared with a single elastic constant continuum theory which is shown to be inadequate. Optical guided mode techniques are not directly sensitive to the smectic layer configuration but X-ray scattering is. Here, for the first time, results are presented

Surface engineering of ferroelectric polymer for the enhanced electrical performance of organic transistor memory

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Do-Kyung; Lee, Gyu-Jeong; Lee, Jae-Hyun; Kim, Min-Hoi; Bae, Jin-Hyuk

2018-05-01

We suggest a viable surface control method to improve the electrical properties of organic nonvolatile memory transistors. For viable surface control, the surface of the ferroelectric insulator in the memory field-effect transistors was modified using a smooth-contact-curing process. For the modification of the ferroelectric polymer, during the curing of the ferroelectric insulators, the smooth surface of a soft elastomer contacts intimately with the ferroelectric surface. This smooth-contact-curing process reduced the surface roughness of the ferroelectric insulator without degrading its ferroelectric properties. The reduced roughness of the ferroelectric insulator increases the mobility of the organic field-effect transistor by approximately eight times, which results in a high memory on–off ratio and a low-voltage reading operation.

High-performance solution-processed polymer ferroelectric field-effect transistors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Naber, RCG; Tanase, C; Blom, PWM; Gelinck, GH; Marsman, AW; Touwslager, FJ; Setayesh, S; De Leeuw, DM; Naber, Ronald C.G.; Gelinck, Gerwin H.; Marsman, Albert W.; Touwslager, Fred J.

We demonstrate a rewritable, non-volatile memory device with flexible plastic active layers deposited from solution. The memory device is a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) made with a ferroelectric fluoropolymer and a bisalkoxy-substituted poly(p-phenylene vinylene) semiconductor

Ferroelectric tunneling element and memory applications which utilize the tunneling element

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinin, Sergei V [Knoxville, TN; Christen, Hans M [Knoxville, TN; Baddorf, Arthur P [Knoxville, TN; Meunier, Vincent [Knoxville, TN; Lee, Ho Nyung [Oak Ridge, TN

2010-07-20

A tunneling element includes a thin film layer of ferroelectric material and a pair of dissimilar electrically-conductive layers disposed on opposite sides of the ferroelectric layer. Because of the dissimilarity in composition or construction between the electrically-conductive layers, the electron transport behavior of the electrically-conductive layers is polarization dependent when the tunneling element is below the Curie temperature of the layer of ferroelectric material. The element can be used as a basis of compact 1R type non-volatile random access memory (RAM). The advantages include extremely simple architecture, ultimate scalability and fast access times generic for all ferroelectric memories.

Ferroelectrics under the Synchrotron Light: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis E. Fuentes-Cobas

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Currently, an intensive search for high-performance lead-free ferroelectric materials is taking place. ABO3 perovskites (A = Ba, Bi, Ca, K and Na; B = Fe, Nb, Ti, and Zr appear as promising candidates. Understanding the structure–function relationship is mandatory, and, in this field, the roles of long- and short-range crystal orders and interactions are decisive. In this review, recent advances in the global and local characterization of ferroelectric materials by synchrotron light diffraction, scattering and absorption are analyzed. Single- and poly-crystal synchrotron diffraction studies allow high-resolution investigations regarding the long-range average position of ions and subtle global symmetry break-downs. Ferroelectric materials, under the action of electric fields, undergo crystal symmetry, crystallite/domain orientation distribution and strain condition transformations. Methodological aspects of monitoring these processes are discussed. Two-dimensional diffraction clarify larger scale ordering: polycrystal texture is measured from the intensities distribution along the Debye rings. Local order is investigated by diffuse scattering (DS and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS experiments. DS provides information about thermal, chemical and displacive low-dimensional disorders. XAFS investigation of ferroelectrics reveals local B-cation off-centering and oxidation state. This technique has the advantage of being element-selective. Representative reports of the mentioned studies are described.

Ferroelectrics under the Synchrotron Light: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Fuentes-Cobas, Luis E.; Montero-Cabrera, María E.; Pardo, Lorena; Fuentes-Montero, Luis

2015-01-01

Currently, an intensive search for high-performance lead-free ferroelectric materials is taking place. ABO3 perovskites (A = Ba, Bi, Ca, K and Na; B = Fe, Nb, Ti, and Zr) appear as promising candidates. Understanding the structure–function relationship is mandatory, and, in this field, the roles of long- and short-range crystal orders and interactions are decisive. In this review, recent advances in the global and local characterization of ferroelectric materials by synchrotron light diffraction, scattering and absorption are analyzed. Single- and poly-crystal synchrotron diffraction studies allow high-resolution investigations regarding the long-range average position of ions and subtle global symmetry break-downs. Ferroelectric materials, under the action of electric fields, undergo crystal symmetry, crystallite/domain orientation distribution and strain condition transformations. Methodological aspects of monitoring these processes are discussed. Two-dimensional diffraction clarify larger scale ordering: polycrystal texture is measured from the intensities distribution along the Debye rings. Local order is investigated by diffuse scattering (DS) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) experiments. DS provides information about thermal, chemical and displacive low-dimensional disorders. XAFS investigation of ferroelectrics reveals local B-cation off-centering and oxidation state. This technique has the advantage of being element-selective. Representative reports of the mentioned studies are described. PMID:28787814

Concurrent transition of ferroelectric and magnetic ordering near room temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Kyung-Tae; Jung, Min Hwa; He, Qing; Lee, Jin Hong; Woo, Chang Su; Chu, Kanghyun; Seidel, Jan; Jeon, Byung-Gu; Oh, Yoon Seok; Kim, Kee Hoon; Liang, Wen-I; Chen, Hsiang-Jung; Chu, Ying-Hao; Jeong, Yoon Hee; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Park, Jae-Hoon; Yang, Chan-Ho

2011-11-29

Strong spin-lattice coupling in condensed matter gives rise to intriguing physical phenomena such as colossal magnetoresistance and giant magnetoelectric effects. The phenomenological hallmark of such a strong spin-lattice coupling is the manifestation of a large anomaly in the crystal structure at the magnetic transition temperature. Here we report that the magnetic Néel temperature of the multiferroic compound BiFeO(3) is suppressed to around room temperature by heteroepitaxial misfit strain. Remarkably, the ferroelectric state undergoes a first-order transition to another ferroelectric state simultaneously with the magnetic transition temperature. Our findings provide a unique example of a concurrent magnetic and ferroelectric transition at the same temperature among proper ferroelectrics, taking a step toward room temperature magnetoelectric applications.

On bistable states retention in ferroelectric Langmuir-Blodgett films

Science.gov (United States)

Geivandov, A. R.; Palto, S. P.; Yudin, S. G.; Fridkin, V. M.; Blinov, L. M.; Ducharme, S.

2003-08-01

A new insight into the nature of ferroelectricity is emerging from the study of ultra-thin ferroelectric films prepared of poly(vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene) copolymer using Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. Unique properties of these films indicate the existence of two-dimensional ferroelectricity. The retention of two polarized states in ferroelectric polymer LB films is studied using nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy. The technique is based on phase sensitive measurements of nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy. The amplitude of the current response at the 2nd harmonic of the applied voltage is proportional to the magnitude of the remnant polarization, while its phase gives the sign. We have found that 10 - 20 mm thick LB films can show fast switching time and long retention of the two polarized states. Nevertheless, LB films show a pronounced asymmetry in switching to the opposite states. Possible mechanisms of such behavior are discussed.

Switching Characteristics of Ferroelectric Transistor Inverters

Science.gov (United States)

Laws, Crystal; Mitchell, Coey; MacLeod, Todd C.; Ho, Fat D.

2010-01-01

This paper presents the switching characteristics of an inverter circuit using a ferroelectric field effect transistor, FeFET. The propagation delay time characteristics, phl and plh are presented along with the output voltage rise and fall times, rise and fall. The propagation delay is the time-delay between the V50% transitions of the input and output voltages. The rise and fall times are the times required for the output voltages to transition between the voltage levels V10% and V90%. Comparisons are made between the MOSFET inverter and the ferroelectric transistor inverter.

High-accuracy determination for optical indicatrix rotation in ferroelectric DTGS

OpenAIRE

O.S.Kushnir; O.A.Bevz; O.G.Vlokh

2000-01-01

Optical indicatrix rotation in deuterated ferroelectric triglycine sulphate is studied with the high-accuracy null-polarimetric technique. The behaviour of the effect in ferroelectric phase is referred to quadratic spontaneous electrooptics.

THIN FILMS OF A NEW ORGANIC SINGLE-COMPONENT FERROELECTRIC 2-METHYLBENZIMIDAZOLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Balashova

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Subject of Research.We present results of structural and dielectric study of organic ferroelectric 2-methylbenzimidazole (MBI thin films. Method. The films have been grown on substrates of leuco-sapphire, fused and crystalline silica, neodymium gallate, bismuth germanate, gold, aluminium, platinum. The films have been grown by two different methods: substrate covering by ethanol solution of MBI and subsequent ethanol evaporation; sublimation at the temperature near 375 K under atmospheric pressure. Crystallographic orientation studies have been performed by means of «DRON-3» X-ray diffractometer, block structure of the films has been determined by «LaboPol-3» polarizing microscope. Small-signal dielectric response has been received with the use of «MIT 9216A» digital LCR-meter, while strong-signal dielectric response has been studied by Sawyer-Tower circuit. Main Resuts. We have shown that the films obtained by evaporation are continuous and textured. Obtained film structure depends on the concentration of the solution. Films may consist of blocks that are splitted crystals like spherulite. Spontaneous polarization components in such films may be directed both perpendicularly and in the film plane. We have also obtained structures consisting of single-crystal blocks with spontaneous polarization components being allocated in the film plane. Block sizes vary from a few to hundreds of microns. Films obtained by sublimation are amorphous or dendritic. The dielectric properties of the films obtained by evaporation have been studied. We have shown that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent increase under heating. The dielectric hysteresis loops are observed at the temperature equal to 291-379 K. The remnant polarization increases with temperature for constant amplitude of the external electric field, and achieves 4.5mC/cm2, while the coercive field remains constant. We propose that such behavior is explained by increase of the

Synthesis of ferroelectric nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roervik, Per Martin

2008-12-15

The increasing miniaturization of electric and mechanical components makes the synthesis and assembly of nanoscale structures an important step in modern technology. Functional materials, such as the ferroelectric perovskites, are vital to the integration and utility value of nanotechnology in the future. In the present work, chemical methods to synthesize one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures of ferroelectric perovskites have been studied. To successfully and controllably make 1D nanostructures by chemical methods it is very important to understand the growth mechanism of these nanostructures, in order to design the structures for use in various applications. For the integration of 1D nanostructures into devices it is also very important to be able to make arrays and large-area designed structures from the building blocks that single nanostructures constitute. As functional materials, it is of course also vital to study the properties of the nanostructures. The characterization of properties of single nanostructures is challenging, but essential to the use of such structures. The aim of this work has been to synthesize high quality single-crystalline 1D nanostructures of ferroelectric perovskites with emphasis on PbTiO3 , to make arrays or hierarchical nanostructures of 1D nanostructures on substrates, to understand the growth mechanisms of the 1D nanostructures, and to investigate the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of the 1D nanostructures. In Paper I, a molten salt synthesis route, previously reported to yield BaTiO3 , PbTiO3 and Na2Ti6O13 nanorods, was re-examined in order to elucidate the role of volatile chlorides. A precursor mixture containing barium (or lead) and titanium was annealed in the presence of NaCl at 760 degrees Celsius or 820 degrees Celsius. The main products were respectively isometric nanocrystalline BaTiO3 and PbTiO3. Nanorods were also detected, but electron diffraction revealed that the composition of the nanorods was

The operational mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemerink, M.; Asadi, K.; Blom, P.W.M.; Leeuw, D.M. de

2012-01-01

The availability of a reliable memory element is crucial for the fabrication of 'plastic' logic circuits. We use numerical simulations to show that the switching mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches is the stray field of the polarized ferroelectric phase. The stray field

The operational mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemerink, M.; Asadi, K. (Kamal); Blom, P.W.M.; Leeuw, de D.M.

2012-01-01

The availability of a reliable memory element is crucial for the fabrication of ‘plastic’ logic circuits. We use numerical simulations to show that the switching mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches is the stray field of the polarized ferroelectric phase. The stray field

The operational mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kemerink, Martijn; Asadi, Kamal; Blom, Paul W. M.; de Leeuw, Dago M.

The availability of a reliable memory element is crucial for the fabrication of 'plastic' logic circuits. We use numerical simulations to show that the switching mechanism of ferroelectric-driven organic resistive switches is the stray field of the polarized ferroelectric phase. The stray field

Ferroelectric properties of tungsten bronze morphotropic phase boundary systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, J.R.; Neurgaonkar, R.R.; Cross, L.E.; Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA

1989-01-01

Tungsten bronze ferroelectrics which have a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) can have a number or enhanced dielectric, piezoelectric, and electrooptic properties compared to more conventional ferroelectric materials. The structural and ferroelectric properties of several MPB bronze systems are presented, including data from sintered and hot-pressed ceramics, epitaxial thin films, and bulk single crystals. Included among these are three systems which had not been previously identified as morphotropic. The potential advantages and limitations of these MPB systems are discussed, along with considerations of the appropriate growth methods for their possible utilization in optical, piezoelectric, or pyroelectric device applications

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors based on solution-processed electrochemically exfoliated graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Heidler, Jonas; Yang, Sheng; Feng, Xinliang; Müllen, Klaus; Asadi, Kamal

2018-06-01

Memories based on graphene that could be mass produced using low-cost methods have not yet received much attention. Here we demonstrate graphene ferroelectric (dual-gate) field effect transistors. The graphene has been obtained using electrochemical exfoliation of graphite. Field-effect transistors are realized using a monolayer of graphene flakes deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett protocol. Ferroelectric field effect transistor memories are realized using a random ferroelectric copolymer poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) in a top gated geometry. The memory transistors reveal ambipolar behaviour with both electron and hole accumulation channels. We show that the non-ferroelectric bottom gate can be advantageously used to tune the on/off ratio.

Phase diagrams of ferroelectric nanocrystals strained by an elastic matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitchenko, A. I.; Azovtsev, A. V.; Pertsev, N. A.

2018-01-01

Ferroelectric crystallites embedded into a dielectric matrix experience temperature-dependent elastic strains caused by differences in the thermal expansion of the crystallites and the matrix. Owing to the electrostriction, these lattice strains may affect polarization states of ferroelectric inclusions significantly, making them different from those of a stress-free bulk crystal. Here, using a nonlinear thermodynamic theory, we study the mechanical effect of elastic matrix on the phase states of embedded single-domain ferroelectric nanocrystals. Their equilibrium polarization states are determined by minimizing a special thermodynamic potential that describes the energetics of an ellipsoidal ferroelectric inclusion surrounded by a linear elastic medium. To demonstrate the stability ranges of such states for a given material combination, we construct a phase diagram, where the inclusion’s shape anisotropy and temperature are used as two parameters. The ‘shape-temperature’ phase diagrams are calculated numerically for PbTiO3 and BaTiO3 nanocrystals embedded into representative dielectric matrices generating tensile (silica glass) or compressive (potassium silicate glass) thermal stresses inside ferroelectric inclusions. The developed phase maps demonstrate that the joint effect of thermal stresses and matrix-induced elastic clamping of ferroelectric inclusions gives rise to several important features in the polarization behavior of PbTiO3 and BaTiO3 nanocrystals. In particular, the Curie temperature displays a nonmonotonic variation with the ellipsoid’s aspect ratio, being minimal for spherical inclusions. Furthermore, the diagrams show that the polarization orientation with respect to the ellipsoid’s symmetry axis is controlled by the shape anisotropy and the sign of thermal stresses. Under certain conditions, the mechanical inclusion-matrix interaction qualitatively alters the evolution of ferroelectric states on cooling, inducing a structural transition

High-Tc ferroelectrics and superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, K.A.

1990-01-01

The meaning of the title refers to transition temperatures T c in ferroelectrics (FE) and superconductors (S). The highest T c 's in either field are observed in oxides: 1770 K in the ferroelectric La 2 TiO 7 and 125 K in the superconductor Tl 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10 . Therefore, the question can be asked whether the observed high T c 's in oxide FE and S are a pure coincidence or whether there may be an underlying reason for it. This question is addressed first by recalling recent advances concerning anharmonic FE-properties and then by reviewing S-findings in the new compounds related to these properties

Crystal structure, dielectric, ferroelectric and energy storage properties of La-doped BaTiO3 semiconducting ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkata Sreenivas Puli

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Polycrystalline La-doped BaTiO3 (Ba(1-xLax\tTiO3 [x=0,0.0005,0.001,0.003] ceramics (denoted as BTO,BLT1,BLT2,BLT3 were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and Raman spectroscopy. XRD and Raman spectra revealed single-phase tetragonal perovskite crystalline structure. Well-saturated polarization–electric field (P–E hysteresis loops were observed with the measurement frequency of 50 Hz at room temperature and confirmed ferroelectric nature of these ceramics and a high recoverable electrical energy storage density of 0.350 J/cm3 with energy efficiency (n∼9%, which is useful in energy storage capacitor applications. Dielectric studies revealed anomalies around 415–420 K and near the Curie temperature. The latter is attributed to the ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition. Better dielectric performances were obtained for La-doped samples sintered at 1350°C for 4 h. Grain growth is inhibited with lanthanum (La incorporation into the BTO lattice. Room temperature semiconducting behavior with positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR behavior at TC is attributed to electron compensation mechanism.

Ferroelectric transistors with monolayer molybdenum disulfide and ultra-thin aluminum-doped hafnium oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Yap, Wui Chung; Jiang, Hao; Liu, Jialun; Xia, Qiangfei; Zhu, Wenjuan

2017-07-01

In this letter, we demonstrate ferroelectric memory devices with monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as the channel material and aluminum (Al)-doped hafnium oxide (HfO2) as the ferroelectric gate dielectric. Metal-ferroelectric-metal capacitors with 16 nm thick Al-doped HfO2 are fabricated, and a remnant polarization of 3 μC/cm2 under a program/erase voltage of 5 V is observed. The capability of potential 10 years data retention was estimated using extrapolation of the experimental data. Ferroelectric transistors based on embedded ferroelectric HfO2 and MoS2 grown by chemical vapor deposition are fabricated. Clockwise hysteresis is observed at low program/erase voltages due to slow bulk traps located near the 2D/dielectric interface, while counterclockwise hysteresis is observed at high program/erase voltages due to ferroelectric polarization. In addition, the endurances of the devices are tested, and the effects associated with ferroelectric materials, such as the wake-up effect and polarization fatigue, are observed. Reliable writing/reading in MoS2/Al-doped HfO2 ferroelectric transistors over 2 × 104 cycles is achieved. This research can potentially lead to advances of two-dimensional (2D) materials in low-power logic and memory applications.

A thermally robust and thickness independent ferroelectric phase in laminated hafnium zirconium oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Riedel

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Ferroelectric properties in hafnium oxide based thin films have recovered the scaling potential for ferroelectric memories due to their ultra-thin-film- and CMOS-compatibility. However, the variety of physical phenomena connected to ferroelectricity allows a wider range of applications for these materials than ferroelectric memory. Especially mixed HfxZr1-xO2 thin films exhibit a broad compositional range of ferroelectric phase stability and provide the possibility to tailor material properties for multiple applications. Here it is shown that the limited thermal stability and thick-film capability of HfxZr1-xO2 can be overcome by a laminated approach using alumina interlayers.

Ferroelectricity and Piezoelectricity in Free-Standing Polycrystalline Films of Plastic Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, Jun; Yoneyama, Naho; Yokokura, Seiya; Takahashi, Yukihiro; Miura, Atsushi; Kitamura, Noboru; Inabe, Tamotsu

2018-01-10

Plastic crystals represent a unique compound class that is often encountered in molecules with globular structures. The highly symmetric cubic crystal structure of plastic crystals endows these materials with multiaxial ferroelectricity that allows a three-dimensional realignment of the polarization axes of the crystals, which cannot be achieved using conventional molecular ferroelectric crystals with low crystal symmetry. In this work, we focused our attention on malleability as another characteristic feature of plastic crystals. We have synthesized the new plastic/ferroelectric ionic crystals tetramethylammonium tetrachloroferrate(III) and tetramethylammonium bromotrichloroferrate(III), and discovered that free-standing translucent films can be easily prepared by pressing powdered samples of these compounds. The thus obtained polycrystalline films exhibit ferroelectric polarization switching and a relatively large piezoelectric response at room temperature. The ready availability of functional films demonstrates the practical utility of such plastic/ferroelectric crystals, and considering the vast variety of possible constituent cations and anions, a wide range of applications should be expected for these unique and attractive functional materials.

Theoretical Methods of Domain Structures in Ultrathin Ferroelectric Films: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianyi Liu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This review covers methods and recent developments of the theoretical study of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films. The review begins with an introduction to some basic concepts and theories (e.g., polarization and its modern theory, ferroelectric phase transition, domain formation, and finite size effects, etc. that are relevant to the study of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films. Basic techniques and recent progress of a variety of important approaches for domain structure simulation, including first-principles calculation, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo simulation, effective Hamiltonian approach and phase field modeling, as well as multiscale simulation are then elaborated. For each approach, its important features and relative merits over other approaches for modeling domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films are discussed. Finally, we review recent theoretical studies on some important issues of domain structures in ultrathin ferroelectric films, with an emphasis on the effects of interfacial electrostatics, boundary conditions and external loads.

The lineshape of inelastic neutron scattering in the relaxor ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, M.A.; Kozlovski, M.; Piesiewicz, T.; Stephanovich, V.A.; Weron, A.; Wymyslowski, A.

2005-01-01

The possibilities of theoretical and experimental investigations of relaxor ferroelectrics by inelastic neutron scattering method are considered. The simple model to description of the peculiarities of inelastic neutron scattering lineshapes in ferroelectric relaxors is suggested. The essence of this model is to consider the interaction of the phonon subsystem of relaxor ferroelectrics with the ensemble of defects and impurities. The modification of the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method is presented. The optimization of planning of experiment by the modified LHS method is considered [ru

Reversible spin texture in ferroelectric Hf O2

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, L. L.; Paudel, Tula R.; Kovalev, Alexey A.; Tsymbal, Evgeny Y.

2017-06-01

Spin-orbit coupling effects occurring in noncentrosymmetric materials are known to be responsible for nontrivial spin configurations and a number of emergent physical phenomena. Ferroelectric materials may be especially interesting in this regard due to reversible spontaneous polarization making possible a nonvolatile electrical control of the spin degrees of freedom. Here, we explore a technologically relevant oxide material, Hf O2 , which has been shown to exhibit robust ferroelectricity in a noncentrosymmetric orthorhombic phase. Using theoretical modelling based on density-functional theory, we investigate the spin-dependent electronic structure of the ferroelectric Hf O2 and demonstrate the appearance of chiral spin textures driven by spin-orbit coupling. We analyze these spin configurations in terms of the Rashba and Dresselhaus effects within the k .p Hamiltonian model and find that the Rashba-type spin texture dominates around the valence-band maximum, while the Dresselhaus-type spin texture prevails around the conduction band minimum. The latter is characterized by a very large Dresselhaus constant λD= 0.578 eV Å, which allows using this material as a tunnel barrier to produce tunneling anomalous and spin Hall effects that are reversible by ferroelectric polarization.

Ferroelectric Cathodes in Transverse Magnetic Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander Dunaevsky; Yevgeny Raitses; Nathaniel J. Fisch

2002-01-01

Experimental investigations of a planar ferroelectric cathode in a transverse magnetic field up to 3 kGs are presented. It is shown that the transverse magnetic field affects differently the operation of ferroelectric plasma cathodes in ''bright'' and ''dark'' modes in vacuum. In the ''bright'' mode, when the surface plasma is formed, the application of the transverse magnetic field leads to an increase of the surface plasma density. In the ''dark'' mode, the magnetic field inhibits the development of electron avalanches along the surface, as it does similarly in other kinds of surface discharges in the pre-breakdown mode

Physical aspects of ferroelectric semiconductors for photovoltaic solar energy conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Varo, Pilar [Departamento de Electrónica y Tecnología de Computadores, CITIC-UGR, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain); Bertoluzzi, Luca [Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I, 12006 Castelló (Spain); Bisquert, Juan, E-mail: bisquert@uji.es [Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I, 12006 Castelló (Spain); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Alexe, Marin [Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Coll, Mariona [Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus UAB, 08193, Bellaterra, Catalonia (Spain); Huang, Jinsong [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0656 (United States); Jimenez-Tejada, Juan Antonio [Departamento de Electrónica y Tecnología de Computadores, CITIC-UGR, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain); Kirchartz, Thomas [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Faculty of Engineering and CENIDE, University of Duisburg–Essen, Carl-Benz-Str. 199, 47057 Duisburg (Germany); Nechache, Riad; Rosei, Federico [INRS—Center Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2 (Canada); Yuan, Yongbo [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0656 (United States)

2016-10-07

Solar energy conversion using semiconductors to fabricate photovoltaic devices relies on efficient light absorption, charge separation of electron–hole pair carriers or excitons, and fast transport and charge extraction to counter recombination processes. Ferroelectric materials are able to host a permanent electrical polarization which provides control over electrical field distribution in bulk and interfacial regions. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the physical principles and mechanisms of solar energy conversion using ferroelectric semiconductors and contact layers, as well as the main achievements reported so far. In a ferroelectric semiconductor film with ideal contacts, the polarization charge would be totally screened by the metal layers and no charge collection field would exist. However, real materials show a depolarization field, smooth termination of polarization, and interfacial energy barriers that do provide the control of interface and bulk electric field by switchable spontaneous polarization. We explore different phenomena as the polarization-modulated Schottky-like barriers at metal/ferroelectric interfaces, depolarization fields, vacancy migration, and the switchable rectifying behavior of ferroelectric thin films. Using a basic physical model of a solar cell, our analysis provides a general picture of the influence of ferroelectric effects on the actual power conversion efficiency of the solar cell device, and we are able to assess whether these effects or their combinations are beneficial or counterproductive. We describe in detail the bulk photovoltaic effect and the contact layers that modify the built-in field and the charge injection and separation in bulk heterojunction organic cells as well as in photocatalytic and water splitting devices. We also review the dominant families of ferroelectric materials that have been most extensively investigated and have provided the best photovoltaic performance.

Physical aspects of ferroelectric semiconductors for photovoltaic solar energy conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Varo, Pilar; Bertoluzzi, Luca; Bisquert, Juan; Alexe, Marin; Coll, Mariona; Huang, Jinsong; Jimenez-Tejada, Juan Antonio; Kirchartz, Thomas; Nechache, Riad; Rosei, Federico; Yuan, Yongbo

2016-01-01

Solar energy conversion using semiconductors to fabricate photovoltaic devices relies on efficient light absorption, charge separation of electron–hole pair carriers or excitons, and fast transport and charge extraction to counter recombination processes. Ferroelectric materials are able to host a permanent electrical polarization which provides control over electrical field distribution in bulk and interfacial regions. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the physical principles and mechanisms of solar energy conversion using ferroelectric semiconductors and contact layers, as well as the main achievements reported so far. In a ferroelectric semiconductor film with ideal contacts, the polarization charge would be totally screened by the metal layers and no charge collection field would exist. However, real materials show a depolarization field, smooth termination of polarization, and interfacial energy barriers that do provide the control of interface and bulk electric field by switchable spontaneous polarization. We explore different phenomena as the polarization-modulated Schottky-like barriers at metal/ferroelectric interfaces, depolarization fields, vacancy migration, and the switchable rectifying behavior of ferroelectric thin films. Using a basic physical model of a solar cell, our analysis provides a general picture of the influence of ferroelectric effects on the actual power conversion efficiency of the solar cell device, and we are able to assess whether these effects or their combinations are beneficial or counterproductive. We describe in detail the bulk photovoltaic effect and the contact layers that modify the built-in field and the charge injection and separation in bulk heterojunction organic cells as well as in photocatalytic and water splitting devices. We also review the dominant families of ferroelectric materials that have been most extensively investigated and have provided the best photovoltaic performance.

Theoretical model for thin ferroelectric films and the multilayer structures based on them

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Starkov, A. S., E-mail: starkov@iue.tuwien.ac.at; Pakhomov, O. V. [St. Petersburg National Research Univeristy ITMO, Institute of Refrigeration and Biotechnologies (Russian Federation); Starkov, I. A. [Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Microelectronics (Austria)

2013-06-15

A modified Weiss mean-field theory is used to study the dependence of the properties of a thin ferroelectric film on its thickness. The possibility of introducing gradient terms into the thermodynamic potential is analyzed using the calculus of variations. An integral equation is introduced to generalize the well-known Langevin equation to the case of the boundaries of a ferroelectric. An analysis of this equation leads to the existence of a transition layer at the interface between ferroelectrics or a ferroelectric and a dielectric. The permittivity of this layer is shown to depend on the electric field direction even if the ferroelectrics in contact are homogeneous. The results obtained in terms of the Weiss model are compared with the results of the models based on the correlation effect and the presence of a dielectric layer at the boundary of a ferroelectric and with experimental data.

Theoretical model for thin ferroelectric films and the multilayer structures based on them

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starkov, A. S.; Pakhomov, O. V.; Starkov, I. A.

2013-01-01

A modified Weiss mean-field theory is used to study the dependence of the properties of a thin ferroelectric film on its thickness. The possibility of introducing gradient terms into the thermodynamic potential is analyzed using the calculus of variations. An integral equation is introduced to generalize the well-known Langevin equation to the case of the boundaries of a ferroelectric. An analysis of this equation leads to the existence of a transition layer at the interface between ferroelectrics or a ferroelectric and a dielectric. The permittivity of this layer is shown to depend on the electric field direction even if the ferroelectrics in contact are homogeneous. The results obtained in terms of the Weiss model are compared with the results of the models based on the correlation effect and the presence of a dielectric layer at the boundary of a ferroelectric and with experimental data

Theoretical model for thin ferroelectric films and the multilayer structures based on them

Science.gov (United States)

Starkov, A. S.; Pakhomov, O. V.; Starkov, I. A.

2013-06-01

A modified Weiss mean-field theory is used to study the dependence of the properties of a thin ferroelectric film on its thickness. The possibility of introducing gradient terms into the thermodynamic potential is analyzed using the calculus of variations. An integral equation is introduced to generalize the well-known Langevin equation to the case of the boundaries of a ferroelectric. An analysis of this equation leads to the existence of a transition layer at the interface between ferroelectrics or a ferroelectric and a dielectric. The permittivity of this layer is shown to depend on the electric field direction even if the ferroelectrics in contact are homogeneous. The results obtained in terms of the Weiss model are compared with the results of the models based on the correlation effect and the presence of a dielectric layer at the boundary of a ferroelectric and with experimental data.

Controlling the spin-torque efficiency with ferroelectric barriers

KAUST Repository

Useinov, A.; Chshiev, M.; Manchon, Aurelien

2015-01-01

Nonequilibrium spin-dependent transport in magnetic tunnel junctions comprising a ferroelectric barrier is theoretically investigated. The exact solutions of the free electron Schrödinger equation for electron tunneling in the presence of interfacial screening are obtained by combining Bessel and Airy functions. We demonstrate that the spin transfer torque efficiency, and more generally the bias dependence of tunneling magneto- and electroresistance, can be controlled by switching the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. In particular, the critical voltage at which the in-plane torque changes sign can be strongly enhanced or reduced depending on the direction of the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. This effect provides a supplementary way to electrically control the current-driven dynamic states of the magnetization and related magnetic noise in spin transfer devices.

Controlling the spin-torque efficiency with ferroelectric barriers

KAUST Repository

Useinov, A.

2015-02-11

Nonequilibrium spin-dependent transport in magnetic tunnel junctions comprising a ferroelectric barrier is theoretically investigated. The exact solutions of the free electron Schrödinger equation for electron tunneling in the presence of interfacial screening are obtained by combining Bessel and Airy functions. We demonstrate that the spin transfer torque efficiency, and more generally the bias dependence of tunneling magneto- and electroresistance, can be controlled by switching the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. In particular, the critical voltage at which the in-plane torque changes sign can be strongly enhanced or reduced depending on the direction of the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. This effect provides a supplementary way to electrically control the current-driven dynamic states of the magnetization and related magnetic noise in spin transfer devices.

Fast Ferroelectric L-band Tuner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazakov, S. Yu.; Yakovlev, V. P.; Hirshfield, J. L.; Kanareykin, A. D.; Nenasheva, E. A.

2006-01-01

Description is given of a preliminary conceptual design for a tuner that employs a new ferroelectric ceramic that allows fast changes in coupling between the SRF acceleration structure of a linac and the external RF feeding line. The switching time of this device is in the range of a few microseconds. Utilization of this tuner is predicted to decrease Ohmic losses in the acceleration structure and thereby to reduce the power consumption of the linac. Using parameters of the TESLA-800 collider as an example, it is shown that it may be possible to reduce the ac mains power consumption by 12 MW, or about by 10%. The design of the tuner that is described allows reduced pulsed and average heating of the ferroelectric ceramics

Transparent Ferroelectric Capacitors on Glass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Sette

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We deposited transparent ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films on fused silica and contacted them via Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO transparent electrodes with an interdigitated electrode (IDE design. These layers, together with a TiO2 buffer layer on the fused silica substrate, are highly transparent (>60% in the visible optical range. Fully crystallized Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT films are dielectrically functional and exhibit a typical ferroelectric polarization loop with a remanent polarization of 15 μC/cm2. The permittivity value of 650, obtained with IDE AZO electrodes is equivalent to the one measured with Pt electrodes patterned with the same design, which proves the high quality of the developed transparent structures.

Glycation precedes lens crystallin aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swamy, M.S.; Perry, R.E.; Abraham, E.C.

1987-01-01

Non-enzymatic glycosylation (glycation) seems to have the potential to alter the structure of crystallins and make them susceptible to thiol oxidation leading to disulfide-linked high molecular weight (HMW) aggregate formation. They used streptozotocin diabetic rats during precataract and cataract stages and long-term cell-free glycation of bovine lens crystallins to study the relationship between glycation and lens crystallin aggregation. HMW aggregates and other protein components of the water-soluble (WS) and urea-soluble (US) fractions were separated by molecular sieve high performance liquid chromatography. Glycation was estimated by both [ 3 H]NaBH 4 reduction and phenylboronate agarose affinity chromatography. Levels of total glycated protein (GP) in the US fractions were about 2-fold higher than in the WS fractions and there was a linear increase in GP in both WS and US fractions. This increase was parallelled by a corresponding increase in HMW aggregates. Total GP extracted by the affinity method from the US fraction showed a predominance of HMW aggregates and vice versa. Cell-free glycation studies with bovine crystallins confirmed the results of the animals studies. Increasing glycation caused a corresponding increase in protein insolubilization and the insoluble fraction thus formed also contained more glycated protein. It appears that lens protein glycation, HMW aggregate formation, and protein insolubilization are interrelated

Quantum switching of polarization in mesoscopic ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sa de Melo, C.A.

1996-01-01

A single domain of a uniaxial ferroelectric grain may be thought of as a classical permanent memory. At the mesoscopic level this system may experience considerable quantum fluctuations due to tunneling between two possible memory states, thus destroying the classical permanent memory effect. To study these quantum effects the concrete example of a mesoscopic uniaxial ferroelectric grain is discussed, where the orientation of the electric polarization determines two possible memory states. The possibility of quantum switching of the polarization in mesoscopic uniaxial ferroelectric grains is thus proposed. To determine the degree of memory loss, the tunneling rate between the two polarization states is calculated at zero temperature both in the absence and in the presence of an external static electric field. In addition, a discussion of crossover temperature between thermally activated behavior and quantum tunneling behavior is presented. And finally, environmental effects (phonons, defects, and surfaces) are also considered. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Investigation of the switching characteristics in ferroelectrics by first-order reversal curve diagrams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stancu, Alexandru; Mitoseriu, Liliana; Stoleriu, Laurentiu; Piazza, Daniele; Galassi, Carmen; Ricinschi, Dan; Okuyama, Masanori

2006-01-01

First-order reversal curves (FORC) diagrams are proposed for describing the switching properties in ferroelectric materials. The method is applied for Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT) ferroelectric ceramics and films with different P(E) hysteresis and microstructural characteristics. The separation of the reversible and irreversible contributions to the ferroelectric polarization is explained in terms of microstructural characteristics of the investigated samples. The influence of parameters as field frequency, crystallite orientation, ferroelectric fatigue and porosity degree on the FORC diagrams is discussed

Entrapment of curcumin into monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticle dispersion for enhancement of stability and anticancer activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baskaran R

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Rengarajan Baskaran,1 Thiagarajan Madheswaran,2 Pasupathi Sundaramoorthy,1 Hwan Mook Kim,1 Bong Kyu Yoo1 1College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea; 2College of Pharmacy Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea Abstract: Despite the promising anticancer potential of curcumin, its therapeutic application has been limited, owing to its poor solubility, bioavailability, and chemical fragility. Therefore, various formulation approaches have been attempted to address these problems. In this study, we entrapped curcumin into monoolein (MO-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs and evaluated the physicochemical properties and anticancer activity of the LCN dispersion. The results revealed that particles in the curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion were discrete and monodispersed, and that the entrapment efficiency was almost 100%. The stability of curcumin in the dispersion was surprisingly enhanced (about 75% of the curcumin survived after 45 days of storage at 40°C, and the in vitro release of curcumin was sustained (10% or less over 15 days. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS analysis using a human colon cancer cell line (HCT116 exhibited 99.1% fluorescence gating for 5 µM curcumin-loaded LCN dispersion compared to 1.36% for the same concentration of the drug in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, indicating markedly enhanced cellular uptake. Consistent with the enhanced cellular uptake of curcumin-loaded LCNs, anticancer activity and cell cycle studies demonstrated apoptosis induction when the cells were treated with the LCN dispersion; however, there was neither noticeable cell death nor significant changes in the cell cycle for the same concentration of the drug in DMSO. In conclusion, entrapping curcumin into MO-based LCNs may provide, in the future, a strategy for overcoming the hurdles associated with both the stability and cellular uptake issues of the drug in the treatment of various cancers. Keywords: liquid

Lanthanide Phytanates: Liquid-Crystalline Phase Behavior, Colloidal Particle Dispersions, and Potential as Medical Imaging Agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conn, Charlotte E.; Panchagnula, Venkateswarlu; Weerawardena, Asoka; Waddington, Lynne J.; Kennedy, Danielle F.; Drummond, Calum J. (CSIRO/MHT); (CSIRO/MSE)

2010-08-23

Lanthanide salts of phytanic acid, an isoprenoid-type amphiphile, have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were used to confirm the formed product and showed that three phytanate anions are complexed with one lanthanide cation. The physicochemical properties of the lanthanide phytanates were investigated using DSC, XRD, SAXS, and cross-polarized optical microscopy. Several of the hydrated salts form a liquid-crystalline hexagonal columnar mesophase at room temperature, and samarium(III) phytanate forms this phase even in the absence of water. Select lanthanide phytanates were dispersed in water, and cryo-TEM images indicate that some structure has been retained in the dispersed phase. NMR relaxivity measurements were conducted on these systems. It has been shown that a particulate dispersion of gadolinium(III) phytanate displays proton relaxivity values comparable to those of a commercial contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging and a colloidal dispersion of europium(III) phytanate exhibits the characteristics of a fluorescence imaging agent.

Lanthanide Phytanates: Liquid-Crystalline Phase Behavior, Colloidal Particle Dispersions, and Potential as Medical Imaging Agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conn, Charlotte E.; Panchagnula, Venkateswarlu; Weerawardena, Asoka; Waddington, Lynne J.; Kennedy, Danielle F.; Drummond, Calum J.

2010-01-01

Lanthanide salts of phytanic acid, an isoprenoid-type amphiphile, have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were used to confirm the formed product and showed that three phytanate anions are complexed with one lanthanide cation. The physicochemical properties of the lanthanide phytanates were investigated using DSC, XRD, SAXS, and cross-polarized optical microscopy. Several of the hydrated salts form a liquid-crystalline hexagonal columnar mesophase at room temperature, and samarium(III) phytanate forms this phase even in the absence of water. Select lanthanide phytanates were dispersed in water, and cryo-TEM images indicate that some structure has been retained in the dispersed phase. NMR relaxivity measurements were conducted on these systems. It has been shown that a particulate dispersion of gadolinium(III) phytanate displays proton relaxivity values comparable to those of a commercial contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging and a colloidal dispersion of europium(III) phytanate exhibits the characteristics of a fluorescence imaging agent.

Thick-film processing of Pb5Ge3O11-based ferroelectric glass-ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornejo, I.A.; Haun, M.J.

1996-01-01

Processing techniques were investigated to produce c-axis orientation, or texture, of ferroelectric Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 -based glass-ceramic compositions during crystallization of amorphous thick-film printed samples from the Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 -PbTiO 3 (PG-PT) and Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 -Pb(Zr 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 (PG-PZT) systems. In these systems the PG crystallized into a ferroelectric phase, producing a multiple ferroelectric phase composite at low temperatures, PG-PT or PG-PZT. In this way the non-ferroelectric component of traditional ferroelectric glass-ceramics was eliminated

A new method to study ferroelectrics using the remanent Henkel plots

Science.gov (United States)

Vopson, Melvin M.

2018-05-01

Analysis of experimental curves constructed from dc demagnetization and isothermal remanent magnetization known as Henkel and delta M plots, have served for over 53 years as an important tool for characterization of interactions in ferromagnets. In this article we address the question whether the same experimental technique could be applied to the study of ferroelectric systems. The successful measurement of the equivalent dc depolarisation and isothermal remanent polarization curves and the construction of the Henkel and delta P plots for ferroelectrics is reported here. Full measurement protocol is provided together with experimental examples for two ferroelectric ceramic samples. This new measurement technique is an invaluable experimental tool that could be used to further advance our understanding of ferroelectric materials and their applications.

Four-state ferroelectric spin-valve

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Quindeau, A.; Fina, I.; Martí, Xavier; Apachitei, G.; Ferrer, P.; Nicklin, C.; Pippel, E.; Hesse, D.; Alexe, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 5, May (2015), 09749 ISSN 2045-2322 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : electronic and spintronic devices * ferroelectrics and multiferroics Subject RIV: BE - Theoretical Physics Impact factor: 5.228, year: 2015

Effects of molecular chirality on self-assembly and switching in liquid crystals at the cross-over between rod-like and bent shapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocak, Hale; Poppe, Marco; Bilgin-Eran, Belkız; Karanlık, Gürkan; Prehm, Marko; Tschierske, Carsten

2016-09-21

A bent-core compound derived from a 4-cyanoresorcinol core unit with two terephthalate based rod-like wings and carrying chiral 3,7-dimethyloctyloxy side chains has been synthesized in racemic and enantiomerically pure form and characterized by polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical investigations to study the influence of molecular chirality on the superstructural chirality and polar order in lamellar liquid crystalline phases. Herein we demonstrate that the coupling of molecular chirality with superstructural layer chirality in SmCsPF domain phases (forming energetically distinct diastereomeric pairs) can fix the tilt direction and thus stabilize synpolar order, leading to bistable ferroelectric switching in the SmC* phases of the (S)-enantiomer, whereas tristable modes determine the switching of the racemate. Moreover, the mechanism of electric field induced molecular reorganization changes from a rotation around the molecular long axis in the racemate to a rotation on the tilt-cone for the (S)-enantiomer. At high temperature the enantiomer behaves like a rod-like molecule with a chirality induced ferroelectric SmC* phase and an electroclinic effect in the SmA'* phase. At reduced temperature sterically induced polarization, due to the bent molecular shape, becomes dominating, leading to much higher polarization values, thus providing access to high polarization ferroelectric materials with weakly bent compounds having only "weakly chiral" stereogenic units. Moreover, the field induced alignment of the SmCsPF(()*()) domains gives rise to a special kind of electroclinic effect appearing even in the absence of molecular chirality. Comparison with related compounds indicates that the strongest effects of chirality appear for weakly bent molecules with a relatively short coherence length of polar order, whereas for smectic phases with long range polar order the effects of the interlayer interfaces can override

Space-charge-mediated anomalous ferroelectric switching in P(VDF-TrEE) polymer films

KAUST Repository

Hu, Weijin

2014-11-12

We report on the switching dynamics of P(VDF-TrEE) copolymer devices and the realization of additional substable ferroelectric states via modulation of the coupling between polarizations and space charges. The space-charge-limited current is revealed to be the dominant leakage mechanism in such organic ferroelectric devices, and electrostatic interactions due to space charges lead to the emergence of anomalous ferroelectric loops. The reliable control of ferroelectric switching in P(VDF-TrEE) copolymers opens doors toward engineering advanced organic memories with tailored switching characteristics.

Strain tunable ferroelectric and dielectric properties of BaZrO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yajun; Liu, Man; Shimada, Takahiro; Kitamura, Takayuki; Wang, Jie

2014-01-01

The crucial role of epitaxial (in-plane) strain on the structural, electronic, energetic, ferroelectric, and dielectric properties of BaZrO 3 (BZO) is investigated using density-functional theory calculations. We demonstrate that the BZO crystal subjected to a critical compressive (or tensile) strain exhibits non-trivial spontaneous polarization that is higher than that of well-known ferroelectrics BaTiO 3 , while the BZO crystal is essentially paraelectric in the absence of strain. The electronic structure and Born-effective-charge analyses elucidate that the strain-induced paraelectric-to-ferroelectric transition is driven by the orbital hybridization of d-p electrons between zirconium and oxygen. Through the strain-induced paraelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition, the dielectric response of BZO is significantly enhanced by the in-plane strain. The tensile strain increases the in-plane dielectric constant by a factor of seven with respect to that without the strain, while the compression tends to enhance the out-of-plane dielectric response. Therefore, strain engineering makes BZO an important electromechanical material due to the diversity in ferroelectric and dielectric properties.

Overview of one transistor type of hybrid organic ferroelectric non-volatile memory

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Young; Tea; Chun; Daping; Chu

2015-01-01

Organic ferroelectric memory devices based on field effect transistors that can be configured between two stable states of on and off have been widely researched as the next generation data storage media in recent years.This emerging type of memory devices can lead to a new instrument system as a potential alternative to previous non-volatile memory building blocks in future processing units because of their numerous merits such as cost-effective process,simple structure and freedom in substrate choices.This bi-stable non-volatile memory device of information storage has been investigated using several organic or inorganic semiconductors with organic ferroelectric polymer materials.Recent progresses in this ferroelectric memory field,hybrid system have attracted a lot of attention due to their excellent device performance in comparison with that of all organic systems.In this paper,a general review of this type of ferroelectric non-volatile memory is provided,which include the device structure,organic ferroelectric materials,electrical characteristics and working principles.We also present some snapshots of our previous study on hybrid ferroelectric memories including our recent work based on zinc oxide nanowire channels.

R-curve behaviour of ferroelectric ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egorov, N.Ya.; Kramarov, S.O.

2004-01-01

The attempt's made to identify and evaluate the regularities of developing the fractures in the ferroelectric ceramics and also-study the effect of the polishing operation on the strength characteristics of the piezoceramics. The R-curve behaviour in the ferroelectric ceramics is studied on the samples of the barium titanate and lead zirconate-titanate by the four-point bending with controlled surface fractures. It is established that increasing curve of resistance to the fracture growth is observed in the piezoceramics under the conditions of the fracture stable growth. The results obtained on the polished samples prove that the mechanical processing introduces the compression surface stresses into the piezoceramic materials [ru

Surface-screening mechanisms in ferroelectric thin films and their effect on polarization dynamics and domain structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalinin, Sergei V.; Kim, Yunseok; Fong, Dillon D.; Morozovska, Anna N.

2018-01-25

For over 70 years, ferroelectric materials have been one of the central research topics for condensed matter physics and material science, an interest driven both by fundamental science and applications. However, ferroelectric surfaces, the key component of ferroelectric films and nanostructures, still present a significant theoretical and even conceptual challenge. Indeed, stability of ferroelectric phase per se necessitates screening of polarization charge. At surfaces, this can lead to coupling between ferroelectric and semiconducting properties of material, or with surface (electro) chemistry, going well beyond classical models applicable for ferroelectric interfaces. In this review, we summarize recent studies of surface-screening phenomena in ferroelectrics. We provide a brief overview of the historical understanding of the physics of ferroelectric surfaces, and existing theoretical models that both introduce screening mechanisms and explore the relationship between screening and relevant aspects of ferroelectric functionalities starting from phase stability itself. Given that the majority of ferroelectrics exist in multiple-domain states, we focus on local studies of screening phenomena using scanning probe microscopy techniques. We discuss recent studies of static and dynamic phenomena on ferroelectric surfaces, as well as phenomena observed under lateral transport, light, chemical, and pressure stimuli. We also note that the need for ionic screening renders polarization switching a coupled physical-electrochemical process and discuss the non-trivial phenomena such as chaotic behavior during domain switching that stem from this.

Surface-screening mechanisms in ferroelectric thin films and their effect on polarization dynamics and domain structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinin, Sergei V.; Kim, Yunseok; Fong, Dillon D.; Morozovska, Anna N.

2018-03-01

For over 70 years, ferroelectric materials have been one of the central research topics for condensed matter physics and material science, an interest driven both by fundamental science and applications. However, ferroelectric surfaces, the key component of ferroelectric films and nanostructures, still present a significant theoretical and even conceptual challenge. Indeed, stability of ferroelectric phase per se necessitates screening of polarization charge. At surfaces, this can lead to coupling between ferroelectric and semiconducting properties of material, or with surface (electro) chemistry, going well beyond classical models applicable for ferroelectric interfaces. In this review, we summarize recent studies of surface-screening phenomena in ferroelectrics. We provide a brief overview of the historical understanding of the physics of ferroelectric surfaces, and existing theoretical models that both introduce screening mechanisms and explore the relationship between screening and relevant aspects of ferroelectric functionalities starting from phase stability itself. Given that the majority of ferroelectrics exist in multiple-domain states, we focus on local studies of screening phenomena using scanning probe microscopy techniques. We discuss recent studies of static and dynamic phenomena on ferroelectric surfaces, as well as phenomena observed under lateral transport, light, chemical, and pressure stimuli. We also note that the need for ionic screening renders polarization switching a coupled physical–electrochemical process and discuss the non-trivial phenomena such as chaotic behavior during domain switching that stem from this. ).

III-Nitrides growth and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on ferroelectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyoung-Keun; Namkoong, Gon; Madison, Shannon M.; Ralph, Stephen E.; Doolittle, W. Alan; Losurdo, Maria; Bruno, Giovanni; Cho, Hyung Koun

2007-01-01

The growth of III-nitrides on the ferroelectric materials lithium niobate (LN) and lithium tantalate (LT) via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using rf plasma source has been investigated. We have found that gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial layers have a crystalline relationship with lithium niobate (tantalate) as follows: (0 0 0 1) GaN || (0 0 0 1) LN (LT) with [10-10] GaN || [11-20] LN (LT). The surface stability of LN and LT substrates has been monitored by in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry in the vacuum chamber. Three different temperature zones have been discerned; surface degas and loss of OH group (100-350 deg. C); surface segregation/accumulation of Li and O-species (400-700 deg. C); surface evaporation of O-species and Li desorption (over 750 deg. C). However, LT shows only surface degassing in the range of 100-800 deg. C. Therefore, congruent LN substrates were chemically unstable at the growth temperature of 550-650 deg. C, and therefore developed an additional phase of Li-deficient lithium niobate (LiNb 3 O 8 ) along with lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ), confirmed by X-ray diffraction. On the other hand, LT showed better chemical stability at these temperatures, with no additional phase development. The structural quality of GaN epitaxial layers has shown slight improvement on LT substrates over LN substrates, according to X-ray diffraction. Herein, we demonstrate AlGaN/GaN heterostructure devices on ferroelectric materials that will allow future development of multifunctional electrical and optical applications

III-Nitrides growth and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on ferroelectric materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyoung-Keun [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 777 Atlantic Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Namkoong, Gon [Old Dominion University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Norfolk, VA 23529 (United States); Madison, Shannon M. [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 777 Atlantic Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Ralph, Stephen E. [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 777 Atlantic Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Doolittle, W. Alan [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 777 Atlantic Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States)]. E-mail: alan.doolittle@ece.gatech.edu; Losurdo, Maria [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4 70126 Bari (Italy); Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4 70126 Bari (Italy); Cho, Hyung Koun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sung Kyun Kwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-06-15

The growth of III-nitrides on the ferroelectric materials lithium niobate (LN) and lithium tantalate (LT) via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using rf plasma source has been investigated. We have found that gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial layers have a crystalline relationship with lithium niobate (tantalate) as follows: (0 0 0 1) GaN || (0 0 0 1) LN (LT) with [10-10] GaN || [11-20] LN (LT). The surface stability of LN and LT substrates has been monitored by in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry in the vacuum chamber. Three different temperature zones have been discerned; surface degas and loss of OH group (100-350 deg. C); surface segregation/accumulation of Li and O-species (400-700 deg. C); surface evaporation of O-species and Li desorption (over 750 deg. C). However, LT shows only surface degassing in the range of 100-800 deg. C. Therefore, congruent LN substrates were chemically unstable at the growth temperature of 550-650 deg. C, and therefore developed an additional phase of Li-deficient lithium niobate (LiNb{sub 3}O{sub 8}) along with lithium niobate (LiNbO{sub 3}), confirmed by X-ray diffraction. On the other hand, LT showed better chemical stability at these temperatures, with no additional phase development. The structural quality of GaN epitaxial layers has shown slight improvement on LT substrates over LN substrates, according to X-ray diffraction. Herein, we demonstrate AlGaN/GaN heterostructure devices on ferroelectric materials that will allow future development of multifunctional electrical and optical applications.

Anti-Ferroelectric Ceramics for High Energy Density Capacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditya Chauhan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available With an ever increasing dependence on electrical energy for powering modern equipment and electronics, research is focused on the development of efficient methods for the generation, storage and distribution of electrical power. In this regard, the development of suitable dielectric based solid-state capacitors will play a key role in revolutionizing modern day electronic and electrical devices. Among the popular dielectric materials, anti-ferroelectrics (AFE display evidence of being a strong contender for future ceramic capacitors. AFE materials possess low dielectric loss, low coercive field, low remnant polarization, high energy density, high material efficiency, and fast discharge rates; all of these characteristics makes AFE materials a lucrative research direction. However, despite the evident advantages, there have only been limited attempts to develop this area. This article attempts to provide a focus to this area by presenting a timely review on the topic, on the relevant scientific advancements that have been made with respect to utilization and development of anti-ferroelectric materials for electric energy storage applications. The article begins with a general introduction discussing the need for high energy density capacitors, the present solutions being used to address this problem, and a brief discussion of various advantages of anti-ferroelectric materials for high energy storage applications. This is followed by a general description of anti-ferroelectricity and important anti-ferroelectric materials. The remainder of the paper is divided into two subsections, the first of which presents various physical routes for enhancing the energy storage density while the latter section describes chemical routes for enhanced storage density. This is followed by conclusions and future prospects and challenges which need to be addressed in this particular field.

Interrelationship between flexoelectricity and strain gradient elasticity in ferroelectric nanofilms: A phase field study

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Limei; Xu, Xiaofei; Zhou, Yichun

2016-12-01

With the development of the integrated circuit technology and decreasing of the device size, ferroelectric films used in nano ferroelectric devices become thinner and thinner. Along with the downscaling of the ferroelectric film, there is an increasing influence of two strain gradient related terms. One is the strain gradient elasticity and the other one is flexoelectricity. To investigate the interrelationship between flexoelectricity and strain gradient elasticity and their combined effect on the domain structure in ferroelectric nanofilms, a phase field model of flexoelectricity and strain gradient elasticity on the ferroelectric domain evolution is developed based on Mindlin's theory of strain-gradient elasticity. Weak form is derived and implemented in finite element formulations for numerically solving the model equations. The simulation results show that upper bounds for flexoelectric coefficients can be enhanced by increasing strain gradient elasticity coefficients. While a large flexoelectricity that exceeds the upper bound can induce a transition from a ferroelectric state to a modulated/incommensurate state, a large enough strain gradient elasticity may lead to a conversion from an incommensurate state to a ferroelectric state. Strain gradient elasticity and the flexoelectricity have entirely opposite effects on polarization. The observed interrelationship between the strain gradient elasticity and flexoelectricity is rationalized by an analytical solution of the proposed theoretical model. The model proposed in this paper could help us understand the mechanism of phenomena observed in ferroelectric nanofilms under complex electromechanical loads and provide some guides on the practical application of ferroelectric nanofilms.

Giant electrocaloric effect in a cracked ferroelectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cheng; Yang, Hai-Bing; Gao, Cun-Fa

2018-04-01

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) is the temperature change in a material induced by electrical field variation under adiabatic condition. Considering an external electric load applied on a cracked ferroelectric solid, a non-uniform electric field would be induced at the crack tip, and thus, incompatible strain field and local stress concentration would be generated around it. Furthermore, the enormous strain energy and the electrostatic energy would affect the polarization switching of the ferroelectric solid, important for the electrocaloric response. In this paper, the large negative and positive ECEs in a ferroelectric sheet with a conducting crack are investigated by the phase field method with the consideration of time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation. The numerical calculations indicated that the polarization field generates a sharp rise during the domain transition from polydomain to monodomain under a certain electric load. Large negative ECEs, about -10.21 K and -7.55 K, are obtained at 135 °C and 85 °C, respectively. The domain transition temperature is much lower than the Curie temperature, which enlarges the existence scope of the large ECE in ferroelectrics. The results also imply that the domain transition from a multi-domain state to a single domain takes place with the minimization of total free energy, which involves the courses of the electric field, stress field, temperature, and polarization interaction. Therefore, the non-uniform distributions of the stress-electric fields induced by the crack play an important role in ECE.

Fast Ferroelectric L-Band Tuner for Superconducting Cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jay L. Hirshfield

2011-03-01

Analysis and modeling is presented for a fast microwave tuner to operate at 700 MHz which incorporates ferroelectric elements whose dielectric permittivity can be rapidly altered by application of an external voltage. This tuner could be used to correct unavoidable fluctuations in the resonant frequency of superconducting cavities in accelerator structures, thereby greatly reducing the RF power needed to drive the cavities. A planar test version of the tuner has been tested at low levels of RF power, but at 1300 MHz to minimize the physical size of the test structure. This test version comprises one-third of the final version. The tests show performance in good agreement with simulations, but with losses in the ferroelectric elements that are too large for practical use, and with issues in bonding of ferroelectric elements to the metal walls of the tuner structure.

Fast Ferroelectric L-Band Tuner for Superconducting Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirshfield, Jay L.

2011-01-01

Analysis and modeling is presented for a fast microwave tuner to operate at 700 MHz which incorporates ferroelectric elements whose dielectric permittivity can be rapidly altered by application of an external voltage. This tuner could be used to correct unavoidable fluctuations in the resonant frequency of superconducting cavities in accelerator structures, thereby greatly reducing the RF power needed to drive the cavities. A planar test version of the tuner has been tested at low levels of RF power, but at 1300 MHz to minimize the physical size of the test structure. This test version comprises one-third of the final version. The tests show performance in good agreement with simulations, but with losses in the ferroelectric elements that are too large for practical use, and with issues in bonding of ferroelectric elements to the metal walls of the tuner structure.

Heterogeneous Ferroelectric Solid Solutions Phases and Domain States

CERN Document Server

Topolov, Vitaly

2012-01-01

The book deals with perovskite-type ferroelectric solid solutions for modern materials science and applications, solving problems of complicated heterophase/domain structures near the morphotropic phase boundary and applications to various systems with morphotropic phases. In this book domain state–interface diagrams are presented for the interpretation of heterophase states in perovskite-type ferroelectric solid solutions. It allows to describe the stress relief in the presence of polydomain phases, the behavior of unit-cell parameters of coexisting phases and the effect of external electric fields. The novelty of the book consists in (i) the first systematization of data about heterophase states and their evolution in ferroelectric solid solutions (ii) the general interpretation of heterophase and domain structures at changing temperature, composition or electric field (iii) the complete analysis of interconnection domain structures, unit-cell parameters changes, heterophase structures and stress relief.

Effect of extrapolation length on the phase transformation of epitaxial ferroelectric thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Z.S.; Tang, M.H.; Wang, J.B.; Zheng, X.J.; Zhou, Y.C.

2008-01-01

Effects of extrapolation length on the phase transformation of epitaxial ferroelectric thin films on dissimilar cubic substrates have been studied on the basis of the mean-field Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire (LGD) thermodynamic theory by taking an uneven distribution of the interior stress with thickness into account. It was found that the polarization of epitaxial ferroelectric thin films is strongly dependent on the extrapolation length of films. The physical origin of the extrapolation length during the phase transformation from paraelectric to ferroelectric was revealed in the case of ferroelectric thin films

Minimalistic Liquid-Assisted Route to Highly Crystalline α-Zirconium Phosphate.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yu; Wang, Xiaodong Tony; Jaenicke, Stephan; Chuah, Gaik-Khuan

2017-08-24

Zirconium phosphates have potential applications in areas of ion exchange, catalysis, photochemistry, and biotechnology. However, synthesis methodologies to form crystalline α-zirconium phosphate (Zr(HPO 4 ) 2 ⋅H 2 O) typically involve the use of excess phosphoric acid, addition of HF or oxalic acid and long reflux times or hydrothermal conditions. A minimalistic sustainable route to its synthesis has been developed by using only zirconium oxychloride and concentrated phosphoric acid to form highly crystalline α-zirconium phosphate within hours. The morphology can be changed from platelets to rod-shaped particles by fluoride addition. By varying the temperature and time, α-zirconium phosphate with particle sizes from nanometers to microns can be obtained. Key features of this minimal solvent synthesis are the excellent yields obtained with high atom economy under mild conditions and ease of scalability. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrical transport through Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 p-n and p-p heterostructures modulated by bound charges at a ferroelectric surface: Ferroelectric p-n diode

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Yukio

1999-05-01

Current through (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 ferroelectrics on perovskite semiconductors is found to exhibit diode characteristics of which polarity is universally determined by the carrier conduction-type semiconductors. A persisting highly reproducible resistance modulation by a dc voltage, which has a short retention, is observed and is ascribed to a band bending of the ferroelectric by the formation of charged traps. This interpretation is consistent with a large relaxation current observed at a low voltage. On the other hand, a reproducible resistance modulation by a pulse voltage, which has a long retention, is observed in metal/(Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3/SrTiO3:Nb but not in metal/(Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3/(La,Sr)2CuO4 and is attributed to a possible band bending due to the spontaneous polarization (P) switching. The observed current voltage (IV) characteristics, the polarity dependence, the relaxation, and the modulation are explicable, if we assume a p-n or a p-p junction at the ferroelectric semiconductor interface (p: hole conduction type, n: electron conduction type). The analysis suggests that an intrinsically inhomogeneous P (∇P) near the ferroelectric/metal interface is likely very weak or existing in a very thin layer, when a reaction of the metal with the ferroelectric is eliminated. Additionally, the various aspects of transport through ferroelectrics are explained as a transport in the carrier depleted region.

Composition driven structural instability in perovskite ferroelectrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Xu

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Ferroelectric solid solutions usually exhibit enhanced functional properties at the morphotropic phase boundary separating two ferroelectric phases with different orientations of polarization. The underlying mechanism is generally associated with polarization rotational instability and the flattened free energy profile. In this work we show that the polarization extensional instability can also be induced at the morphotropic phase boundary beyond the reported polar-nonpolar phase boundary. The piezoelectricity enhanced by this mechanism exhibits excellent thermal stability, which helps to develop high performance piezoelectric materials with good temperature stability.

Quantum fluctuations in insulating ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riseborough, Peter S.

2010-01-01

Graphical abstract: It has been proposed that in a ferroelectric insulator, an applied magnetic field may couple the transverse phonon modes and produce left and right circularly polarized phonon modes which are no longer degenerate. We quantize the theory and examine the effects of quantal fluctuations. In particular, we show that the zero point fluctuations result in a large diamagnetic contribution to the magnetic susceptibility. - Abstract: It has been proposed that in a ferroelectric insulator, an applied magnetic field may couple the transverse phonon modes and produce left and right circularly polarized phonon modes which are no longer degenerate. We quantize the theory and examine the effects of quantal fluctuations. In particular, we show that the zero-point fluctuations result in a large diamagnetic contribution to the magnetic susceptibility.

PH-Induced Nanosegregation of Ritonavir to Lyotropic Liquid Crystal of Higher Solubility Than Crystalline Polymorphs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Spong, B.; Acciacca, A.; Fleisher, D.; Rodriguez-Hornedo, N.

2009-01-01

Birefringent spherical vesicles of ritonavir (RTV) are formed by increasing the pH of aqueous solutions from 1 to 3 or to 7 and by addition of water to ethanol solutions at room temperature. Increasing the pH creates supersaturation levels of 30--400. Upon this change in pH, the solutions become translucent, implying that some kind of RTV assembly was formed. Small spherical vesicles of narrow size distribution are detectable only after a few hours by optical microscopy. The vesicles show similar X-ray diffraction patterns and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) behavior to amorphous RTV prepared by melt-quenching crystalline RTV. Examination by polarized optical microscopy suggests that these are lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) assemblies. Small-angle X-ray scattering and synchrotron X-ray diffraction further support the presence of orientational order that is associated with a nematic structure. RTV self-organizes into various phases as a result of the supersaturation created in aqueous solutions. The LLC vesicles do not fuse but slowly transform to the polymorphs of RTV (in days), Form I and finally Form II. Amorphous RTV in aqueous suspension also undergoes a transformation to a mesophase of similar morphology. Transformation pathways are consistent with measured dissolution rates and solubilities: amorphous > LLC >> Form I > Form II. The dissolution and solubility of LLC is slightly lower than that of the amorphous phase and about 20 times higher than that of Form II. RTV also self-assembles at the air/water interface as indicated by the decrease in surface tension of aqueous solutions. This behavior is similar to that of amphiphilic molecules that induce LLC formation.

Formulation and development of bicontinuous nanostructured liquid crystalline particles of efavirenz.

Science.gov (United States)

Avachat, Amelia M; Parpani, Shreekrishna S

2015-02-01

Efavirenz is a lipophilic non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in the first-line pediatric therapeutic cocktail. Due to its high lipophilicity (logP = 5.4) and poor aqueous solubility (intrinsic water solubility = 8.3 μg/mL) efavirenz has low bioavailability. A 30 mg/mL solution in a medium-chain triglyceride vehicle is the only pediatric formulation available with an oral bioavailability 20% lower than the solid form. The current work was aimed at formulating and characterizing liquid crystal nanoparticles for oral delivery of efavirenz to improve oral bioavailability, provide sustained release, minimize side effects and drug resistance. Formulation of cubosomes was done by two methods; sonication and spray drying. Sonication gave highest entrapment efficiency and least particle size. Further, monoolein was substituted with phytantriol as monoolein gets degraded in the presence of lipase when administered orally with consequent loss of liquid crystalline structure. It was confirmed that there was no difference in particle size, entrapment efficiency and nature of product formed by using monoolein or phytantriol. The best formulation was found to be F9, having particle size 104.19 ± 0.21 nm and entrapment efficiency 91.40 ± 0.10%. In vitro release at the end of 12h was found to be 56.45% and zeta potential to be -23.14 mV which stabilized the cubic phase dispersions. It was further characterized for TEM, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), DSC and stability studies. SAXS revealed Pn3m space group, indicating a diamond cubic phase which was further confirmed by TEM. Pharmacokinetics of EFV was studied in male Wistar rats. EFV-loaded cubosome dispersions exhibited 1.93 and 1.62-fold increase in peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and 1.48 and 1.42-fold increase in AUC in comparison to that of a suspension prepared with the contents of EFV capsules suspended in 1.5% carboxymethylcellulose PBS solution (pH 5.0), and an EFV solution in medium

Attenuation of Thermal Neutrons by Crystalline Silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adib, M.; Habib, N.; Ashry, A.; Fathalla, M.

2002-01-01

A simple formula is given which allows to calculate the contribution of the total neutron cross - section including the Bragg scattering from different (hkt) planes to the neutron * transmission through a solid crystalline silicon. The formula takes into account the silicon form of poly or mono crystals and its parameters. A computer program DSIC was developed to provide the required calculations. The calculated values of the total neutron cross-section of perfect silicon crystal at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures were compared with the experimental ones. The obtained agreement shows that the simple formula fits the experimental data with sufficient accuracy .A good agreement was also obtained between the calculated and measured values of polycrystalline silicon in the energy range from 5 eV to 500μ eV. The feasibility study on using a poly-crystalline silicon as a cold neutron filter and mono-crystalline as a thermal neutron one is given. The optimum crystal thickness, mosaic spread, temperature and cutting plane for efficiently transmitting the thermal reactor neutrons, while rejecting both fast neutrons and gamma rays accompanying the thermal ones for the mono crystalline silicon are also given

Dynamic Control of Tunneling Conductance in Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou Ya-Yi; Zhou Yan; Chew Khian-Hooi

2013-01-01

We investigate the dynamic characteristics of electric polarization P(t) in a ferroelectric junction under ac applied voltage and stress, and calculate the frequency response and the cut-off frequency f 0 , which provides a reference for the upper limit of the working frequency. Our study might be significant for sensor and memory applications of nanodevices based on ferroelectric junctions

Electrically Reconfigurable Liquid Crystalline Mirrors (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-24

focus on dynamic reconfiguration of the reflection band gap of polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLCs). Recent research has reported the...public release: distribution unlimited. © 2018 AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (STINFO COPY) AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING...MONITORING AGENCY ACRONYM(S) Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH

"Negative capacitance" in resistor-ferroelectric and ferroelectric-dielectric networks: Apparent or intrinsic?

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Atanu K.; Datta, Suman; Gupta, Sumeet K.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we describe and analytically substantiate an alternate explanation for the negative capacitance (NC) effect in ferroelectrics (FE). We claim that the NC effect previously demonstrated in resistance-ferroelectric (R-FE) networks does not necessarily validate the existence of "S" shaped relation between polarization and voltage (according to Landau theory). In fact, the NC effect can be explained without invoking the "S"-shaped behavior of FE. We employ an analytical model for FE (Miller model) in which the steady state polarization strictly increases with the voltage across the FE and show that despite the inherent positive FE capacitance, reduction in FE voltage with the increase in its charge is possible in a R-FE network as well as in a ferroelectric-dielectric (FE-DE) stack. This can be attributed to a large increase in FE capacitance near the coercive voltage coupled with the polarization lag with respect to the electric field. Under certain conditions, these two factors yield transient NC effect. We analytically derive conditions for NC effect in R-FE and FE-DE networks. We couple our analysis with extensive simulations to explain the evolution of NC effect. We also compare the trends predicted by the aforementioned Miller model with Landau-Khalatnikov (L-K) model (static negative capacitance due to "S"-shape behaviour) and highlight the differences between the two approaches. First, with an increase in external resistance in the R-FE network, NC effect shows a non-monotonic behavior according to Miller model but increases according to L-K model. Second, with the increase in ramp-rate of applied voltage in the FE-DE stack, NC effect increases according to Miller model but decreases according to L-K model. These results unveil a possible way to experimentally validate the actual reason of NC effect in FE.

Resonant tunneling across a ferroelectric domain wall

Science.gov (United States)

Li, M.; Tao, L. L.; Velev, J. P.; Tsymbal, E. Y.

2018-04-01

Motivated by recent experimental observations, we explore electron transport properties of a ferroelectric tunnel junction (FTJ) with an embedded head-to-head ferroelectric domain wall, using first-principles density-functional theory calculations. We consider a FTJ with L a0.5S r0.5Mn O3 electrodes separated by a BaTi O3 barrier layer and show that an in-plane charged domain wall in the ferroelectric BaTi O3 can be induced by polar interfaces. The resulting V -shaped electrostatic potential profile across the BaTi O3 layer creates a quantum well and leads to the formation of a two-dimensional electron gas, which stabilizes the domain wall. The confined electronic states in the barrier are responsible for resonant tunneling as is evident from our quantum-transport calculations. We find that the resonant tunneling is an orbital selective process, which leads to sharp spikes in the momentum- and energy-resolved transmission spectra. Our results indicate that domain walls embedded in FTJs can be used to control the electron transport.

Differential geometric aspects of the theory of ferroelectricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khosiainov, V.T.

1988-11-01

In connection with the problem of the ferroelectricity a differential formalism is developed as a tool to describe the fine electronic properties in solids. This includes the gauge invariant definition of the differentiation in k-space (position operator), the notion of holonomy group and characteristic gauge field in k-space of electron states. A variational principle and possible solutions of resulting field equations are discussed. A criterion for the appearance of the ferroelectricity is proposed. (author). 5 refs

Vacuum-evaporated ferroelectric films and heterostructures of vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Draginda, Yu. A., E-mail: lbf@ns.crys.ras.ru; Yudin, S G; Lazarev, V V; Yablonskii, S V; Palto, S P [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation)

2012-05-15

The potential of the vacuum method for preparing ferroelectric films and photonic heterostructures from organic materials is studied. Vacuum-evaporated films of fluoropolymers and heterostructures on their basis are obtained and their ferroelectric and spectral properties are studied. In particular, homogeneous films of the well-known piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride and ferroelectric material vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene copolymer (P(VDF/TFE)) are produced. Experimental studies of vacuum-evaporated P(VDF/TFE) films confirmed their ferroelectric properties. The heterostructures composed of alternating layers of P(VDF/TFE) copolymer molecules and azodye molecules are fabricated by vacuum evaporation. Owing to the controlled layer thickness and a significant difference in the refractive indices of the P(VDF/TFE) copolymer and azodyes, these heterostructures exhibit properties of photonic crystals. This finding is confirmed by the occurrence of a photonic band in the absorption spectra of the heterostructures.

Liquid alloys: New perspectives and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saboungi, M.L.; Leonard, S.R.; Johnson, G.K.; Price, D.L.

1987-12-01

In this paper, we will focus on one of many unusual liquid semiconducting alloys, K-Pb. The thermodynamic and electrical properties will be discussed and analyzed in terms of a disorder model introduced first by Wagner for crystalline semiconductors. The structure of the equiatomic alloy will be presented; interpretation of the first sharp diffraction peak in the total structure factor is based on the local structures in the crystalline phase and should be viewed as an example of the interrelation between the solid and liquid properties

Magnetoelastic coupling in multilayered ferroelectric/ferromagnetic thin films: A quantitative evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiolerio, A., E-mail: alessandro.chiolerio@iit.it [Applied Science and Technology Department, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, IT-10129 Turin (Italy); Center for Space Human Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento 21, IT-10129 Turin (Italy); Quaglio, M. [Center for Space Human Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento 21, IT-10129 Turin (Italy); Lamberti, A. [Applied Science and Technology Department, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, IT-10129 Turin (Italy); Center for Space Human Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Trento 21, IT-10129 Turin (Italy); Celegato, F. [Electromagnetism Division, INRIM, Strada delle Cacce 91, IT-10135 Turin (Italy); Balma, D.; Allia, P. [Applied Science and Technology Department, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, IT-10129 Turin (Italy)

2012-08-01

The electrical control of magnetization in a thin film, achieved by means of magnetoelastic coupling between a ferroelectric and a ferromagnetic layer represents an attractive way to implement magnetic information storage and processing within logical architectures known as Magnetic Quantum Cellular Automata (MQCA). Such systems have been addressed as multiferroics. We exploited cost-effective techniques to realize multi-layered multiferroic systems, such as sol-gel deposition and RF sputtering, introducing a specific technique to control the crystal structure and film roughness effect on the magnetic domain wall motion and reconfiguration, induced by magnetoelastic coupling, by evaluating the 2-dimensional statistical properties of enhanced MFM matrices. A RF sputtered 50-nm-thick Co layer on a Si/SiO{sub 2}/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/Ti/Pt/PbTiO{sub 3}/Pb(Zr{sub 0.53}Ti{sub 0.47})O{sub 3} substrate was realized, exploiting two differently engineered PZT nano-crystalline structures and the conditions leading to a favorable compromise in order to realize functional devices were elucidated.

Liquid crystals for organic thin-film transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Iino, Hiroaki; Usui, Takayuki; Hanna, Jun-Ichi

2015-04-01

Crystalline thin films of organic semiconductors are a good candidate for field effect transistor (FET) materials in printed electronics. However, there are currently two main problems, which are associated with inhomogeneity and poor thermal durability of these films. Here we report that liquid crystalline materials exhibiting a highly ordered liquid crystal phase of smectic E (SmE) can solve both these problems. We design a SmE liquid crystalline material, 2-decyl-7-phenyl-[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (Ph-BTBT-10), for FETs and synthesize it. This material provides uniform and molecularly flat polycrystalline thin films reproducibly when SmE precursor thin films are crystallized, and also exhibits high durability of films up to 200 °C. In addition, the mobility of FETs is dramatically enhanced by about one order of magnitude (over 10 cm2 V-1 s-1) after thermal annealing at 120 °C in bottom-gate-bottom-contact FETs. We anticipate the use of SmE liquid crystals in solution-processed FETs may help overcome upcoming difficulties with novel technologies for printed electronics.

CuInP₂S₆ Room Temperature Layered Ferroelectric.

Science.gov (United States)

Belianinov, A; He, Q; Dziaugys, A; Maksymovych, P; Eliseev, E; Borisevich, A; Morozovska, A; Banys, J; Vysochanskii, Y; Kalinin, S V

2015-06-10

We explore ferroelectric properties of cleaved 2-D flakes of copper indium thiophosphate, CuInP2S6 (CITP), and probe size effects along with limits of ferroelectric phase stability, by ambient and ultra high vacuum scanning probe microscopy. CITP belongs to the only material family known to display ferroelectric polarization in a van der Waals, layered crystal at room temperature and above. Our measurements directly reveal stable, ferroelectric polarization as evidenced by domain structures, switchable polarization, and hysteresis loops. We found that at room temperature the domain structure of flakes thicker than 100 nm is similar to the cleaved bulk surfaces, whereas below 50 nm polarization disappears. We ascribe this behavior to a well-known instability of polarization due to depolarization field. Furthermore, polarization switching at high bias is also associated with ionic mobility, as evidenced both by macroscopic measurements and by formation of surface damage under the tip at a bias of 4 V-likely due to copper reduction. Mobile Cu ions may therefore also contribute to internal screening mechanisms. The existence of stable polarization in a van-der-Waals crystal naturally points toward new strategies for ultimate scaling of polar materials, quasi-2D, and single-layer materials with advanced and nonlinear dielectric properties that are presently not found in any members of the growing "graphene family".

Effects of Bi doping on dielectric and ferroelectric properties

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

[Pb0.95(La1−Bi)0.05][Zr0.53Ti0.47]O3 (PLBZT) ferroelectric thin films have been synthesized on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass by sol–gel processing. PLBZT thin films were annealed at a relatively low temperature of 550 °C in oxygen ambient. Effects of Bi doping on structure, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of ...

Liquid metal–organic frameworks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaillac, Romain; Pullumbi, Pluton; Beyer, Kevin A.; Chapman, Karena W.; Keen, David A.; Bennett, Thomas D.; Coudert, François-Xavier

2017-10-09

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a family of chemically diverse materials, with applications in a wide range of fields, covering engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Until recently, research has focused almost entirely on crystalline structures, yet now a clear trend is emerging, shifting the emphasis onto disordered states, including ‘defective by design’ crystals, as well as amorphous phases such as glasses and gels. Here we introduce a strongly associated MOF liquid, obtained by melting a zeolitic imidazolate framework. We combine in situ variable temperature X-ray, ex situ neutron pair distribution function experiments, and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations to study the melting phenomenon and the nature of the liquid obtained. We demonstrate from structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical information that the chemical configuration, coordinative bonding, and porosity of the parent crystalline framework survive upon formation of the MOF liquid.

Liquid metal-organic frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillac, Romain; Pullumbi, Pluton; Beyer, Kevin A.; Chapman, Karena W.; Keen, David A.; Bennett, Thomas D.; Coudert, François-Xavier

2017-11-01

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a family of chemically diverse materials, with applications in a wide range of fields, covering engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Until recently, research has focused almost entirely on crystalline structures, yet now a clear trend is emerging, shifting the emphasis onto disordered states, including `defective by design’ crystals, as well as amorphous phases such as glasses and gels. Here we introduce a strongly associated MOF liquid, obtained by melting a zeolitic imidazolate framework. We combine in situ variable temperature X-ray, ex situ neutron pair distribution function experiments, and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations to study the melting phenomenon and the nature of the liquid obtained. We demonstrate from structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical information that the chemical configuration, coordinative bonding, and porosity of the parent crystalline framework survive upon formation of the MOF liquid.

Development of Multifunctional Ultra-Nonlinear Liquids and Liquid Crystals for Sensor Protection Applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Khoo, I. C

2008-01-01

.... Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in developing supra-nonlinear liquid crystalline films that possess extraordinarily large photorefractive responses, low switching thresholds and useful...

Surface Acoustic Waves in ferroelectrics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tarasenko A., Nataliya; Jastrabík, Lubomír; Tarasenko, Alexander

2004-01-01

Roč. 298, - (2004), s. 325-333 ISSN 0015-0193 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS1010203 Keywords : Rayleigh waves * ferroelectric films * phase transition Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.517, year: 2004

Ferroelectric and ferroelastic domain structures in piezoelectric ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bursill, L.A.; Julin Peng.

1990-01-01

A discussion of the results of conventional and high-resolution high-voltage electron microscopic studies of two ferroelectrics, barium sodium niobate and lead zirconium titanate is presented. It is shown that a rich variety of information such as ferroelectric and/or ferroelastic domains discommensurations versus antiphase boundaries, extended versus localized chemical defects and multiphase versus grain boundaries, become accessible in both single crystal and polycrystalline piezoelectrics, when a combination of high-resolution and conventional electron optical techniques is used. 15 refs., 8 figs

Liquid crystals for organic transistors (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Jun-ichi; Iino, Hiroaki

2016-09-01

Liquid crystals are a new type of organic semiconductors exhibiting molecular orientation in self-organizing manner, and have high potential for device applications. In fact, various device applications have been proposed so far, including photosensors, solar cells, light emitting diodes, field effect transistors, and so on.. However, device performance in those fabricated with liquid crystals is less than those of devices fabricated with conventional materials in spite of unique features of liquid crystals. Here we discuss how we can utilize the liquid crystallinity in organic transistors and how we can overcome conventional non-liquid crystalline organic transistor materials. Then, we demonstrate high performance organic transistors fabricated with a smectic E liquid crystal of Ph-BTBT-10, which show high mobility of over 10cm2/Vs and high thermal durability of over 200oC in OFETs fabricated with its spin-coated polycrystalline thin films.

Prediction and design of first super-strong liquid-crystalline polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowell, F.

1989-01-01

This paper presents the details of the theoretical prediction and design (atom by atom, bond by bond) of the molecule chemical structures of the first candidate super-strong liquid-crystalline polymers (SS LCPs). These LCPs are the first LCPs designed to have good compressive strengths, as well as to have tensile strengths and tensile moduli significantly larger than those of existing strong LCPs (such as Kevlar). The key feature of this new class of LCPs is that the exceptional strength is three dimensional on a microscopic, molecular level (thus, on a macroscopic level), in contrast to present LCPs (such as Kevlar) with their one-dimensional exceptional strength. These SS LCPs also have some solubility and processing advantages over existing strong LCPs. These SS LCPs are specially-designed combined LCPs such that the side chains of a molecule interdigitate with the side chains of other molecules. This paper also presents other essential general and specific features required for SS LCPs. Considerations in the design of SS LCPs include the spacing distance between side chains along the backbone, the need for rigid sections in the backbone and side chains, the degree of polymerization, the length of the side chains, the regularity of spacing of the side chains along the backbone, the interdigitation of side chains in submolecular strips, the packing of the side chains on one or two sides of the backbone, the symmetry of the side chains, the points of attachment of the side chains to the backbone, the flexibility and size of the chemical group connecting each side chain to the backbone, the effect of semiflexible sections in the backbone and side chains, and the choice of types of dipolar and/or hydrogen bonding forces in the backbones and side chains for easy alignment

Determination of ferroelectric contributions to electromechanical response by frequency dependent piezoresponse force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Seol, Daehee; Park, Seongjae; Varenyk, Olexandr V; Lee, Shinbuhm; Lee, Ho Nyung; Morozovska, Anna N; Kim, Yunseok

2016-07-28

Hysteresis loop analysis via piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) is typically performed to probe the existence of ferroelectricity at the nanoscale. However, such an approach is rather complex in accurately determining the pure contribution of ferroelectricity to the PFM. Here, we suggest a facile method to discriminate the ferroelectric effect from the electromechanical (EM) response through the use of frequency dependent ac amplitude sweep with combination of hysteresis loops in PFM. Our combined study through experimental and theoretical approaches verifies that this method can be used as a new tool to differentiate the ferroelectric effect from the other factors that contribute to the EM response.

Graphene Dirac point tuned by ferroelectric polarization field

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xudong; Chen, Yan; Wu, Guangjian; Wang, Jianlu; Tian, Bobo; Sun, Shuo; Shen, Hong; Lin, Tie; Hu, Weida; Kang, Tingting; Tang, Minghua; Xiao, Yongguang; Sun, Jinglan; Meng, Xiangjian; Chu, Junhao

2018-04-01

Graphene has received numerous attention for future nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. The Dirac point is a key parameter of graphene that provides information about its carrier properties. There are lots of methods to tune the Dirac point of graphene, such as chemical doping, impurities, defects, and disorder. In this study, we report a different approach to tune the Dirac point of graphene using a ferroelectric polarization field. The Dirac point can be adjusted to near the ferroelectric coercive voltage regardless its original position. We have ensured this phenomenon by temperature-dependent experiments, and analyzed its mechanism with the theory of impurity correlation in graphene. Additionally, with the modulation of ferroelectric polymer, the current on/off ratio and mobility of graphene transistor both have been improved. This work provides an effective method to tune the Dirac point of graphene, which can be readily used to configure functional devices such as p-n junctions and inverters.

Ferroelectric materials for FeRAMs; FeRAM yo kyoyudentai zairyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyasaka, Y [NEC Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-10-01

Studies to utilize bistable spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric materials for non-volatile memory have already been started in the 1950`s. Recently, a possibility was indicated on a high-speed non-volatile RAM (FeRAM) with memory cell configuration combined with switching transistors as in DRAMs. This situation has led to performing very active studies on ferroelectric materials and electrode materials used in ferroelectric film cell capacitors. This paper summarizes the above research and development circumstances, as well as their future problems. On the other hand of having shown excellent fatigue resistance in the SrBi2Ta209(SBT) system, improvement has progressed steadily on the Pb(ZR, Ti)03 (abbreviated to PZT) system, which retains the mainstream position as the ferroelectric material for FeRAMs. Aiming at realizing a high integration FeRAM in the future will require discussions on property changes due to use of lower temperature and micronization in film formation, further improvement in relation with degradation such as in imprint, and elucidation of the mechanism. 31 refs., 3 figs.

Charging and switching of ferroelectrets: how much can ferroelectrets behave like ferroelectrics?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwoediauer, R.; Graz, I.; Bauer, S.

2004-01-01

Dielectrics with good charge storage capability, so called charge electrets, are non or weakly-polar materials. Despite their non-polar nature porous charge electrets with internally charged surfaces can exhibit very pronounced piezoelectricity. Such systems have been termed 'ferroelectrets' and they have been receiving growing attention over the last few years. Their puzzling and unexpected features resemble very much those normally known from traditional ferroelectrics: ferroelectrets are piezo- and pyroelectric, their polarization can be reversed by means of an external field and electrical as well as mechanical hysteresis loops were observed. As conventional ferroelectrics are different and more complicated than ferromagnets, so are ferroelectrets different and more complex than most ferroelectrics. Here we report about the very different charging and switching mechanism in ferroelectrets, both in simple model-systems and in less simple foam structures. These mechanisms are crucial and form the basis for the striking phenomenological similarities to ferroelectrics. We also want to address some of the specific peculiarities and pitfalls related to present ferroelectrets and their characterization. Interfacial charge injection at high electric fields and anelastic non-linearities, for instance, can be the cause for false ferroelectric-like hysteresis effects which do not reflect any polarization reversal. Our contribution is an attempt towards a more comprehensive picture of how much ferroelectrets behave like ferroelectrics. (author)

Thermal Analysis, Mechanical and Rheological Behaviour of Melt Manufactured Polyethylene/Liquid Crystal Polymer Blends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilze ELKSNITE

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Modification of properties of conventional thermoplastics with thermotropic liquid crystal polymers, from one hand, allows decrease their viscosities, substantially facilitating processing conditions, and, from another hand, allows increase their exploitation properties. Orientation of the labile structure of liquid crystal polymer in extrusion or injection moulding causes specific reinforcement (so-called self-reinforcement to occur in the blends containing liquid crystal polymer. Up to now the effect of self-reinforcement is mostly investigated in the blends, containing considerable amount of liquid crystal polymer. In this research the effect of minor amounts of liquid crystalline co-polyester modifier on the properties of polyethylene is investigated. Various compositions of laboratory synthesized hydroxybenzoic acid /polyethylene terephtalate copolymer containing polyethylene composites have been manufactured by thermoplastic blending. It has been observed that 1 modulus of elasticity, yield strength and ultimate strength increase with raising the content of liquid crystalline modifier; 2 void content in the investigated polyethylene/liquid crystal copolymer composites is not greater that 1 %; 3 addition of liquid crystalline co-polyester modifier improves arrangement of PE crystalline phase.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.17.2.483

Giant Magnetoelectric Energy Conversion Utilizing Inter-Ferroelectric Phase Transformations in Ferroics

Science.gov (United States)

Finkel, Peter; Staruch, Margo

Phase transition-based electromechanical transduction permits achieving a non-resonant broadband mechanical energy conversion see (Finkel et al Actuators, 5 [1] 2. (2015)) , the idea is based on generation high energy density per cycle , at least 100x of magnitude larger than linear piezoelectric type generators in stress biased [011]cut relaxor ferroelectric Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single crystal can generate reversible strain >0.35% at remarkably low fields (0.1 MV/m) for tens of millions of cycles. Recently we demonstrated that large strain and polarization rotation can be generated for over 40 x 106cycles with little fatigue by realization of reversible ferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition in [011] cut PIN-PMN-PT relaxor ferroelectric single crystal while sweeping through the transition with a low applied electric field <0.18 MV/m under mechanical stress. This methodology was extended in the present work to propose magnetoelectric (ME) composite hybrid system comprised of highly magnetostrictive alloymFe81.4Ga18.6 (Galfenol), and lead indium niobate-lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PIN-PMN-PT) domain engineered relaxor ferroelectric single crystal. A small time-varying magnetic field applied to this system causes the magnetostrictive element to expand, and the resulting stress forces the phase change in the relaxor ferroelectric single crystal. ME coupling coefficient was fond to achieve 80 V/cm Oe near the FR-FO phase transition that is at least 100X of magnitude higher than any currently reported values.

Lipid-Based Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles Facilitate Cytosolic Delivery of siRNA via Structural Transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Shufang; Fan, Weiwei; Wu, Na; Zhu, Jingjing; Miao, Yunqiu; Miao, Xiaran; Li, Feifei; Zhang, Xinxin; Gan, Yong

2018-04-11

RNA interference (RNAi) technology has shown great promise for the treatment of cancer and other genetic disorders. Despite the efforts to increase the target tissue distribution, the safe and effective delivery of siRNA to the diseased cells with sufficient cytosolic transport is another critical factor for successful RNAi clinical application. Here, the constructed lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles, called nano-Transformers, can transform thestructure in the intracellular acidic environment and perform high-efficient siRNA delivery for cancer treatment. The developed nano-Transformers have satisfactory siRNA loading efficiency and low cytotoxicity. Different from the traditional cationic nanocarriers, the endosomal membrane fusion induced by the conformational transition of lipids contributes to the easy dissociation of siRNA from nanocarriers and direct release of free siRNA into cytoplasm. We show that transfection with cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1)-siRNA-loaded nano-Transformers causes up to 95% reduction of relevant mRNA in vitro and greatly inhibits the tumor growth without causing any immunogenic response in vivo. This work highlights that the lipid-based nano-Transformers may become the next generation of siRNA delivery system with higher efficacy and improved safety profiles.

Innovative architectures in ferroelectric multi-materials: Chemistry, interfaces and strain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Elissalde

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Breakthroughs can be expected in multi-component ceramics by adjusting the phase assembly and the micro–nanostructure. Controlling the architecture of multi-materials at different scales is still challenging and provides a great opportunity to broaden the range of functionalities in the field of ferroelectric-based ceramics. We used the potentialities of Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS to control a number of key parameters regarding the properties: anisotropy, interfaces, grain size and strain effects. The flexibility of the wet and supercritical chemistry routes associated with the versatility of SPS allowed designing new ferroelectric composite ceramics at different scales. These approaches are illustrated through various examples based on our work on ferroelectric/dielectric composites.

Lyotropic liquid crystal preconcentrates for the treatment of periodontal disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehér, A; Urbán, E; Eros, I; Szabó-Révész, P; Csányi, E

2008-06-24

The aim of our study was to develop water-free lyotropic liquid crystalline preconcentrates, which consist of oils and surfactants with good physiological tolerance and spontaneously form lyotropic liquid crystalline phase in aqueous environment. In this way these preconcentrates having low viscosity can be injected into the periodontal pocket, where they are transformed into highly viscous liquid crystalline phase, so that the preparation is prevented from flowing out of the pocket due to its great viscosity, while drug release is controlled by the liquid crystalline texture. In order to follow the structure alteration upon water absorption polarization microscopical and rheological examinations were performed. The water absorption mechanism of the samples was examined by the Enslin-method. Metronidazole-benzoate was used as active agent the release of which was characterized via in vitro investigations performed by means of modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. On the grounds of the results it can be stated that the 4:1 mixture of the investigated surfactants (Cremophor EL, Cremophor RH40) and oil (Miglyol 810) formed lyotopic liquid crystalline phases upon water addition. Polarization microscopic examinations showed that samples with 10-40% water content possessed anisotropic properties. On the basis of water absorption, rheological and drug release studies it can be concluded that the amount of absorbed water and stiffness of lyotropic structure influenced by the chemical entity of the surfactant exerted major effect on the drug release.

The application of nonlinear dynamics in the study of ferroelectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blochwitz, S.; Habel, R.; Diestelhorst, M.; Beige, H.

1996-01-01

It is well known that the structural phase transitions in ferroelectric materials are connected with strong nonlinear properties. So we can expect all features of nonlinear dynamical systems such as period-doubling cascades and chaos in a dynamical system that contains ferroelectric materials. Therefore we can apply nonlinear dynamics to these ferroelectric materials and we are doing it in two directions: (i) We study the structural phase transitions by analyzing the large signal behaviour with means of nonlinear dynamics. (ii) We control the chaotic behaviour of the system with the method proposed by Ott, Grebogi and Yorke. (authors)

Modelling of dielectric hysteresis loops in ferroelectric semiconductors with charged defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozovska, Anna N; Eliseev, Eugene A

2004-01-01

We have proposed the phenomenological description of dielectric hysteresis loops in ferroelectric semiconductors with charged defects and prevailing extrinsic conductivity. We have modified the Landau-Ginsburg approach and shown that the macroscopic state of the aforementioned inhomogeneous system can be described by three coupled equations for three order parameters. Both the experimentally observed coercive field values well below the thermodynamic values and the various hysteresis-loop deformations (constricted and double loops) have been obtained in the framework of our model. The obtained results quantitatively explain the ferroelectric switching in such ferroelectric materials as thick PZT films

Spin-driven ferroelectricity and magneto-electric effects in frustrated magnetic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arima, Taka-hisa

2011-01-01

The interplay between magnetism and electricity in matter has become a central issue of condensed-matter physics. This review focuses on the ferroelectricity induced by magnetic order mostly in frustrated magnets, which is nowadays referred to as magneto-electric (ME) multiferroic, or often only as multiferroic. Some distinct types of microscopic origins relevant to the spin-driven ferroelectricity are discussed in detail. Then one sees that the frustration-based spin-driven ferroelectrics can exhibit nonlinear and giant ME responses of phase-transition type and of domain-control type, in contrast to the conventional magnetoelectrics hosting linear ME effects. (author)

Voltage tunability of thermal conductivity in ferroelectric materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ihlefeld, Jon; Hopkins, Patrick Edward

2016-02-09

A method to control thermal energy transport uses mobile coherent interfaces in nanoscale ferroelectric films to scatter phonons. The thermal conductivity can be actively tuned, simply by applying an electrical potential across the ferroelectric material and thereby altering the density of these coherent boundaries to directly impact thermal transport at room temperature and above. The invention eliminates the necessity of using moving components or poor efficiency methods to control heat transfer, enabling a means of thermal energy control at the micro- and nano-scales.

Graded ferroelectrics, transpacitors and transponents

CERN Document Server

Mantese, Joseph V

2005-01-01

The text details the experimental and theoretical aspects of newly emerging ferroelectric devices, and their extensions to other ferroic systems such as: ferromagnetics, ferroelastics, piezoelectrics, etc. The theory and experimental results pertaining to non-homogeneous active ferroic devices and structures are presented.

Tunable ferroelectric polarization and its interplay with spin-orbit coupling in tin iodide perovskites

Science.gov (United States)

Stroppa, Alessandro; di Sante, Domenico; Barone, Paolo; Bokdam, Menno; Kresse, Georg; Franchini, Cesare; Whangbo, Myung-Hwan; Picozzi, Silvia

2014-12-01

Ferroelectricity is a potentially crucial issue in halide perovskites, breakthrough materials in photovoltaic research. Using density functional theory simulations and symmetry analysis, we show that the lead-free perovskite iodide (FA)SnI3, containing the planar formamidinium cation FA, (NH2CHNH2)+, is ferroelectric. In fact, the perpendicular arrangement of FA planes, leading to a ‘weak’ polarization, is energetically more stable than parallel arrangements of FA planes, being either antiferroelectric or ‘strong’ ferroelectric. Moreover, we show that the ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ ferroelectric states with the polar axis along different crystallographic directions are energetically competing. Therefore, at least at low temperatures, an electric field could stabilize different states with the polarization rotated by π/4, resulting in a highly tunable ferroelectricity appealing for multistate logic. Intriguingly, the relatively strong spin-orbit coupling in noncentrosymmetric (FA)SnI3 gives rise to a co-existence of Rashba and Dresselhaus effects and to a spin texture that can be induced, tuned and switched by an electric field controlling the ferroelectric state.

Percolation Magnetism in Ferroelectric Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Golovina, Iryna S.; Lemishko, Serhii V.; Morozovska, Anna N.

2017-06-01

Nanoparticles of potassium tantalate (KTaO3) and potassium niobate (KNbO3) were synthesized by oxidation of metallic tantalum in molten potassium nitrate with the addition of potassium hydroxide. Magnetization curves obtained on these ferroelectric nanoparticles exhibit a weak ferromagnetism, while these compounds are nonmagnetic in a bulk. The experimental data are used as a start point for theoretical calculations. We consider a microscopic mechanism that leads to the emerging of a ferromagnetic ordering in ferroelectric nanoparticles. Our approach is based on the percolation of magnetic polarons assuming the dominant role of the oxygen vacancies. It describes the formation of surface magnetic polarons, in which an exchange interaction between electrons trapped in oxygen vacancies is mediated by magnetic impurity Fe3+ ions. The dependences of percolation radius on concentration of the oxygen vacancies and magnetic defects are determined in the framework of percolation theory.

Percolation Magnetism in Ferroelectric Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Golovina, Iryna S; Lemishko, Serhii V; Morozovska, Anna N

2017-12-01

Nanoparticles of potassium tantalate (KTaO 3 ) and potassium niobate (KNbO 3 ) were synthesized by oxidation of metallic tantalum in molten potassium nitrate with the addition of potassium hydroxide. Magnetization curves obtained on these ferroelectric nanoparticles exhibit a weak ferromagnetism, while these compounds are nonmagnetic in a bulk. The experimental data are used as a start point for theoretical calculations. We consider a microscopic mechanism that leads to the emerging of a ferromagnetic ordering in ferroelectric nanoparticles. Our approach is based on the percolation of magnetic polarons assuming the dominant role of the oxygen vacancies. It describes the formation of surface magnetic polarons, in which an exchange interaction between electrons trapped in oxygen vacancies is mediated by magnetic impurity Fe 3+ ions. The dependences of percolation radius on concentration of the oxygen vacancies and magnetic defects are determined in the framework of percolation theory.

Ferroelectric capped magnetization in multiferroic PZT/LSMO tunnel junctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Ashok, E-mail: ashok553@nplindia.org; Shukla, A. K. [National Physical Laboratory (CSIR), Dr. K. S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi-110012 (India); Barrionuevo, D.; Ortega, N.; Katiyar, Ram S. [Department of Physics and Institute of Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931-3343 (United States); Shannigrahi, Santiranjan [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering - IMRE, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A-STAR), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore); Scott, J. F. [Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 ST (United Kingdom)

2015-03-30

Self-poled ultra-thin ferroelectric PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} (PZT) (5 and 7 nm) films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on ferromagnetic La{sub 0.67}Sr{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} (LSMO) (30 nm) to check the effect of polar capping on magnetization for ferroelectric tunnel junction devices. PZT/LSMO heterostructures with thick polar PZT (7 nm) capping show nearly 100% enhancement in magnetization compared with thin polar PZT (5 nm) films, probably due to excess hole transfer from the ferroelectric to the ferromagnetic layers. Core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies revealed the presence of larger Mn 3s exchange splitting and higher Mn{sup 3+}/Mn{sup 4+} ion ratio in the LSMO with 7 nm polar capping.

Structural, magnetic and electrical properties of ferromagnetic/ferroelectric multilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirena, M.; Kaul, E.; Guimpel, J.; Steren, L. B.; Pedreros, M. B.; Rodriguez, C. A.

2011-01-01

The La 0.75 Sr 0.25 MnO 3 (LSMO)/Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 TiO 3 (BSTO) superlattices and bilayers, where LSMO is ferromagnetic and BSTO is ferroelectric, were grown by dc sputtering. X-ray diffraction indicates that the samples present a textured growth with the c axis perpendicular to the substrate. Magnetization measurements show a decrease of the sample's magnetization for decreasing ferromagnetic thickness. This effect could be related to the presence of biaxial strain and a magnetic dead layer in the samples. Conductive atomic force microscopy indicates that the samples present a total covering of the ferromagnetic layer for a ferroelectric thickness higher than four unit cells. Transport tunneling of the carriers seems to be the preferred conduction mechanism through the ferroelectric layer. These are promising results for the development of multiferroic tunnel junctions.

Photonic Heterostructures with Properties of Ferroelectrics and Light Polarizers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palto, S. P., E-mail: palto@online.ru; Draginda, Yu A [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography (Russian Federation)

2010-11-15

The optical and electro-optical properties of a new type of photonic heterostructure composed of alternating ferroelectric molecular layers and optically anisotropic layers of another material are considered. A numerical simulation of the real prototype of this heterostructure, which can be prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett method from layers of a ferroelectric copolymer (polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene) and an azo dye with photoinduced optical anisotropy, has been performed. It is shown that this heterostructure has pronounced polarization optical properties and yields a significant change in the polarization state of light at the photonic band edges in the ranges of the maximum density of photon states. The latter property can be used to obtain an enhanced electro-optic effect at small spectral shifts of the photonic band (the latter can be provided by the piezoelectric effect in ferroelectric layers).

A quasimechanism of melt acceleration in the thermal decomposition of crystalline organic solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henson, Bryan F [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

It has been know for half a century that many crystalline organic solids undergo an acceleration in the rate of thermal decomposition as the melting temperature is approached. This acceleration terminates at the melting point, exhibiting an Arrhenius-like temperature dependence in the faster decomposition rate from the liquid phase. This observation has been modeled previously using various premelting behaviors based on e.g. freezing point depression induced by decomposition products or solvent impurities. These models do not, however, indicate a mechanism for liquid formation and acceleration which is an inherent function of the bulk thermodynamics of the molecule. Here we show that such an inherent thermodynamic mechanism for liquid formation exists in the form of the so-called quasi-liquid layer at the solid surface. We explore a kinetic mechanism which describes the acceleration of rate and is a function of the free energies of sublimation and vaporization. We construct a differential rate law from these thermodynamic free energies and a normalized progress variable. We further construct a reduced variable formulation of the model which is a simple function of the metastable liquid activity below the melting point, and show that it is applicable to the observed melt acceleration in several common organic crystalline solids. A component of the differential rate law, zero order in the progress variable, is shown to be proportional to the thickness of the quasiliquid layer predicted by a recent thermodynamic theory for this phenomenon. This work therefore serves not only to provide new insight into thermal decomposition in a broad class or organic crystalline solids, but also further validates the underlying thermodynamic nature of the phenomenon of liquid formation on the molecular surface at temperatures below the melting point.

Ferromagnetic resonance of Ni wires fabricated on ferroelectric LiNbO3 substrate for studying magnetic anisotropy induced by the heterojunction

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Akinobu; Nakao, Akiko; Ohkochi, Takuo; Yasui, Akira; Kinoshita, Toyohiko; Utsumi, Yuichi; Saiki, Tsunemasa; Yamada, Keisuke

2018-05-01

The electrical ferromagnetic resonance of micro-scale Ni wires with magnetic anisotropy induced by the heterojunction between the Ni layer and ferroelectric single crystalline LiNbO3 substrate was demonstrated by using rectifying effect. The two resonance modes were observed in the Ni wire aligned parallel to the applied magnetic field in plane. The lower resonance frequency mode is considered to correspond to the normal resonance mode with domain resonance, while the higher resonance mode is attributed to the mode which is contributed by the heterojunction between the Ni layer and LiNbO3 substrate. Our results manifest that the rectifying electrical detections are very useful for understating and evaluating the magnetic properties induced by the heterojunction.

Domain switching of fatigued ferroelectric thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Tak Lim, Yun; Yeog Son, Jong; Shin, Young-Han

2014-05-01

We investigate the domain wall speed of a ferroelectric PbZr0.48Ti0.52O3 (PZT) thin film using an atomic force microscope incorporated with a mercury-probe system to control the degree of electrical fatigue. The depolarization field in the PZT thin film decreases with increasing the degree of electrical fatigue. We find that the wide-range activation field previously reported in ferroelectric domains result from the change of the depolarization field caused by the electrical fatigue. Domain wall speed exhibits universal behavior to the effective electric field (defined by an applied electric field minus the depolarization field), regardless of the degree of the electrical fatigue.

Domain switching of fatigued ferroelectric thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tak Lim, Yun; Yeog Son, Jong; Shin, Young-Han

2014-01-01

We investigate the domain wall speed of a ferroelectric PbZr 0.48 Ti 0.52 O 3 (PZT) thin film using an atomic force microscope incorporated with a mercury-probe system to control the degree of electrical fatigue. The depolarization field in the PZT thin film decreases with increasing the degree of electrical fatigue. We find that the wide-range activation field previously reported in ferroelectric domains result from the change of the depolarization field caused by the electrical fatigue. Domain wall speed exhibits universal behavior to the effective electric field (defined by an applied electric field minus the depolarization field), regardless of the degree of the electrical fatigue

Enhanced thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy composites by mixing thermotropic liquid crystalline epoxy grafted graphene oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Qi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Graphene oxide (GO sheets were chemically grafted with thermotropic liquid crystalline epoxy (TLCP. Then we fabricated composites using TLCP-g-GO as reinforcing filler. The mechanical properties and thermal properties of composites were systematically investigated. It is found that the thermal and mechanical properties of the composites are enhanced effectively by the addition of fillers. For instance, the composites containing 1.0 wt% of TLCP-g-GO present impact strength of 51.43 kJ/m2, the tensile strength of composites increase from 55.43 to 80.85 MPa, the flexural modulus of the composites increase by more than 48%. Furthermore, the incorporation of fillers is effective to improve the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the composites. Therefore, the presence of the TLCP-g-GO in the epoxy matrix could make epoxy not only stronger but also tougher.

Acoustic emission mechanism at switching of ferroelectric crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belov, V.V.; Morozova, G.P.; Serdobol'skaya, O.Yu.

1986-01-01

Process of acoustic emission (AE) in lead germanate (PGO) representing pure ferroelectric, and gadolinium molybdate (GMO) representing ferroelectric-ferroelastic, for which switching may be conducted both by the field and pressure, were studied. A conclusion has been drawn that piezoelectric excitation of a crystal from the surface by pulses of overpolarization current in the process of domain coalescence is the main AE source in PGO. Not only piezoresponse, but also direct sound generation in the moment of domain penetration and collapse is considered as AE mechanism in GMO

Acoustic emission mechanism at switching of ferroelectric crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belov, V V; Morozova, G P; Serdobol' skaya, O Yu

1986-01-01

Process of acoustic emission (AE) in lead germanate (PGO) representing pure ferroelectric, and gadolinium molybdate (GMO) representing ferroelectric-ferroelastic, for which switching may be conducted both by the field and pressure, were studied. A conclusion has been drawn that piezoelectric excitation of a crystal from the surface by pulses of overpolarization current in the process of domain coalescence is the main AE source in PGO. Not only piezoresponse, but also direct sound generation in the moment of domain penetration and collapse is considered as AE mechanism in GMO.

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions with multi-quantum well structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Zhijun; Zhang, Tianjin, E-mail: zhangtj@hubu.edu.cn [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Liang, Kun; Qi, Yajun; Wang, Duofa; Wang, Jinzhao; Jiang, Juan [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China)

2014-06-02

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) with multi-quantum well structures are proposed and the tunneling electroresistance (TER) effect is investigated theoretically. Compared with conventional FTJs with monolayer ferroelectric barriers, FTJs with single-well structures provide TER ratio improvements of one order of magnitude, while FTJs with optimized multi-well structures can enhance this improvement by another order of magnitude. It is believed that the increased resonant tunneling strength combined with appropriate asymmetry in these FTJs contributes to the improvement. These studies may help to fabricate FTJs with large TER ratio experimentally and put them into practice.

Molecular structure of the discotic liquid crystalline phase of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene/oligothiophene hybrid and their charge transport properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bag, Saientan; Maingi, Vishal; Maiti, Prabal K.; Yelk, Joe; Glaser, Matthew A.; Clark, Noel A.; Walba, David M.

2015-01-01

Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulation, we study the discotic columnar liquid crystalline (LC) phases formed by a new organic compound having hexa-peri-Hexabenzocoronene (HBC) core with six pendant oligothiophene units recently synthesized by Nan Hu et al. [Adv. Mater. 26, 2066 (2014)]. This HBC core based LC phase was shown to have electric field responsive behavior and has important applications in organic electronics. Our simulation results confirm the hexagonal arrangement of columnar LC phase with a lattice spacing consistent with that obtained from small angle X-ray diffraction data. We have also calculated various positional and orientational correlation functions to characterize the ordering of the molecules in the columnar arrangement. The molecules in a column are arranged with an average twist of 25° having an average inter-molecular separation of ∼5 Å. Interestingly, we find an overall tilt angle of 43° between the columnar axis and HBC core. We also simulate the charge transport through this columnar phase and report the numerical value of charge carrier mobility for this liquid crystal phase. The charge carrier mobility is strongly influenced by the twist angle and average spacing of the molecules in the column

Morphology-dependent photo-induced polarization recovery in ferroelectric thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J. Y.; Liu, G.; Sando, D.; Nagarajan, V.; Seidel, J.

2017-08-01

We investigate photo-induced ferroelectric domain switching in a series of Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (PZT/LSMO) bilayer thin films with varying surface morphologies by piezoresponse force microscopy under light illumination. We demonstrate that reverse poled ferroelectric regions can be almost fully recovered under laser irradiation of the PZT layer and that the recovery process is dependent on the surface morphology on the nanometer scale. The recovery process is well described by the Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi model, and the evolution speed is controlled by light intensity, sample thickness, and initial write voltage. Our findings shed light on optical control of the domain structure in ferroelectric thin films with different surface morphologies.

A study of radiation vulnerability of ferroelectric material and devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coiec, Y.M.; Musseau, O.; Leray, J.L.

1994-01-01

The radiation effects on ferroelectric material and devices are presented, based on commercially available samples. After recalling the background, effects in ferroelectric PZT capacitors are presented, concerning dose, neutrons and fatigue associated with dose effects. Physical implications and interpretations are sketched. In a second stage, effects are studied at the complete non-volatile RAM device level. Vulnerability in dose, dose rate and neutron fluence of commercial 4 kbit ferroelectric RAM is addressed. 64 kbit results are mentioned in dose rate. These results are compared to previously published data from other manufacturers or laboratories and supplement them. In the appendix, equivalence between rad(Si) and rad (PZT) is discussed in the case of low energy ''10 keV Aracor'' x-rays and 60 Co gamma rays

Synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of nanosized ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, or multiferroic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhak, Debasis; Das, Soma; Communication Engineering.); Dhak, Prasanta

2015-01-01

Recently, there has been an enormous increase in research activity in the field of ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics especially in multiferroic materials which possess both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties simultaneously. However, the ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and multiferroic properties should be further improved from the utilitarian and commercial viewpoints. Nanostructural materials are central to the evolution of future electronics and information technologies. Ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics have already been established as a dominant branch in electronics sector because of their diverse applications. The ongoing dimensional downscaling of materials to allow packing of increased numbers of components into integrated circuits provides the momentum for evolution of nanostructural devices. Nanoscaling of the above materials can result in a modification of their functionality. Furthermore, nanoscaling can be used to form high density arrays of nanodomain nanostructures, which is desirable for miniaturization of devices

Critical properties of a ferroelectric superlattice described by a transverse spin-1/2 Ising model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabyaoui, A; Saber, M; Baerner, K; Ainane, A

2007-01-01

The phase transition properties of a ferroelectric superlattice with two alternating layers A and B described by a transverse spin-1/2 Ising model have been investigated using the effective field theory within a probability distribution technique that accounts for the self spin correlation functions. The Curie temperature T c , polarization and susceptibility have been obtained. The effects of the transverse field and the ferroelectric and antiferroelectric interfacial coupling strength between two ferroelectric materials are discussed. They relate to the physical properties of antiferroelectric/ferroelectric superlattices

Microstructural, Raman and XPS properties of single-crystalline Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12 nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Zhenglong; Gu Haoshuang; Hu Yongming; Zou Yanan; Zhou Di

2009-01-01

Bi 3.15 Nd 0.85 Ti 3 O 12 (BNT) nanorods were successfully synthesized first time by hydrothermal method. The nanorods are uniform along their length, and are composed of single-crystalline BNT with orthorhombic structure. The diameters of BNT nanorods are about 30-120 nm and growth along the [1 0 4] direction, which are promising candidate for nanoscale ferroelectric sensors. Ten Raman active modes were observed for orthorhombic phase BNT nanorods, which are overdamped and highly shifted compare to that of Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 (BIT) powders. The chemical composition of the samples and the valence states of elements were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Frontiers of ferroelectricity a special issue of the journal of materials science

CERN Document Server

Lang, Sidney B

2007-01-01

The book presents theory, fundamentals and some applications of ferroelectricy. The 24 chapters comprise reviews and research reports covering the spectrum of ferroelectricity. It is intended to describe the current levels of understanding of various aspects of ferroelectricity as presented by authorities in the field. Topics include relaxors, piezoelectrics, microscale and nanoscale studies, polymers and composites, unusual properties, and techniques and devices. The information in this book is intended for physicists, engineers and materials scientists working with ferroelectric materials including ceramics, single crystals, polymers, composites and even some biological materials.

Chirality under confinement - multidimensional constraints in liquid crystalline materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sleczkowski, P.B.

2014-01-01

The first part of the thesis is devoted to studies of the self-assembled monolayers of discotic liquid crystals by the STM measurements at the liquid/solid interface. For the case of a model H5T molecule the self-assembled monolayers have evidenced both: point and organizational types of chirality,

Space-charge Effect on Electroresistance in Metal-Ferroelectric-Metal capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Bo Bo; Liu, Yang; Chen, Liu Fang; Wang, Jian Lu; Sun, Shuo; Shen, Hong; Sun, Jing Lan; Yuan, Guo Liang; Fusil, Stéphane; Garcia, Vincent; Dkhil, Brahim; Meng, Xiang Jian; Chu, Jun Hao

2015-12-01

Resistive switching through electroresistance (ER) effect in metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitors has attracted increasing interest due to its potential applications as memories and logic devices. However, the detailed electronic mechanisms resulting in large ER when polarisation switching occurs in the ferroelectric barrier are still not well understood. Here, ER effect up to 1000% at room temperature is demonstrated in C-MOS compatible MFM nanocapacitors with a 8.8 nm-thick poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) homopolymer ferroelectric, which is very promising for silicon industry integration. Most remarkably, using theory developed for metal-semiconductor rectifying contacts, we derive an analytical expression for the variation of interfacial barrier heights due to space-charge effect that can interpret the observed ER response. We extend this space-charge model, related to the release of trapped charges by defects, to MFM structures made of ferroelectric oxides. This space-charge model provides a simple and straightforward tool to understand recent unusual reports. Finally, this work suggests that defect-engineering could be an original and efficient route for tuning the space-charge effect and thus the ER performances in future electronic devices.

Total-dose radiation-induced degradation of thin film ferroelectric capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwank, J.R.; Nasby, R.D.; Miller, S.L.; Rodgers, M.S.; Dressendorfer, P.V.

1990-01-01

Thin film PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 (PZT) ferroelectric memories offer the potential for radiation-hardened, high-speed nonvolatile memories with good retention and fatigue properties. In this paper we explore in detail the radiation hardness of PZT ferroelectric capacitors. Ferroelectric capacitors were irradiated using x-ray and Co-60 sources to dose levels up to 16 Mrad(Si). The capacitors were characterized for their memory properties both before and after irradiation. The radiation hardness was process dependent. Three out of four processes resulted in capacitors that showed less than 30% radiation-induced degradation in retained polarization charge and remanent polarization after irradiating to 16 Mrad(Si). On the other hand, one of the processes showed significant radiation-induced degradation in retained polarization charge and remanent polarization at dose levels above 1 Mrad(Si). The decrease in retained polarization charge appears to be due to an alteration of the switching characteristics of the ferroelectric due to changes in the internal fields. The radiation-induced degradation is recoverable by a postirradiation biased anneal and can be prevented entirely if devices are cycled during irradiation. The authors have developed a model to simulate the observed degradation

Operation of Ferroelectric Plasma Sources in a Gas Discharge Mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunaevsky, A.; Fisch, N.J.

2004-01-01

Ferroelectric plasma sources in vacuum are known as sources of ablative plasma, formed due to surface discharge. In this paper, observations of a gas discharge mode of operation of the ferroelectric plasma sources (FPS) are reported. The gas discharge appears at pressures between approximately 20 and approximately 80 Torr. At pressures of 1-20 Torr, there is a transition from vacuum surface discharge to the gas discharge, when both modes coexist and the surface discharges sustain the gas discharge. At pressures between 20 and 80 Torr, the surface discharges are suppressed, and FPS operate in pure gas discharge mode, with the formation of almost uniform plasma along the entire surface of the ceramics between strips. The density of the expanding plasma is estimated to be about 1013 cm-3 at a distance of 5.5 mm from the surface. The power consumption of the discharge is comparatively low, making it useful for various applications. This paper also presents direct measurements of the yield of secondary electron emission from ferroelectric ceramics, which, at low energies of primary electrons, is high and dependent on the polarization of the ferroelectric material

Organic ferroelectric opto-electronic memories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asadi, K.; Li, M.; Blom, P.W.M.; Kemerink, M.; Leeuw, D.M. de

2011-01-01

Memory is a prerequisite for many electronic devices. Organic non-volatile memory devices based on ferroelectricity are a promising approach towards the development of a low-cost memory technology based on a simple cross-bar array. In this review article we discuss the latest developments in this

Gamma-irradiation effects to posttranslational modification and chaperon function of bovine α-crystalline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroki, K; Matsumoto, S.; Awakura, M.; Fujii, N.

2001-01-01

The formation of D-asparate (D-Asp) in αA-crystallin of the aged human eye and the cataract crystalline lens has been reported. Crystalline lens keeps the transparency by forming α-crystallin which consists of a high order association of αA-and αB-crystallin. Bovine α-crystallin for investigating a chaperone function which protects the crystalline lens from getting to opaque or disordered agglutination with heat or light, is irradiated by gamma-ray (Co-60) at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 kGy, respectively. The irradiated bovine α-crystallin are analyzed with electrophoresis, gel permeation chromatograph, and UV absorption spectrometer for checking on the agglutination and the isomerization of macromolecules. Oxidation of methionine residues (Met-1) and isomerization of asparagine residues (Asp-151) in the αA-crystallin are ascertained in molecular levels with reversed phase liquid chromatography. The Met-1 oxidation and the Asp-151 isomerization depend on gamma-irradiation doses. It is thought that OH radical and H radical in water generated by the irradiation lead to the oxidation and the isomerization. Stereoinversion in the α-crystallin following to such a chemical change are considered to lead to the agglutination of polymer and the reduction of chaperon function. (M. Suetake)

Development and evaluation of exemestane-loaded lyotropic liquid crystalline gel formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Musa, Muhammad Nuh; David, Sheba Rani; Zulkipli, Ihsan Nazurah; Mahadi, Abdul Hanif; Chakravarthi, Srikumar; Rajabalaya, Rajan

2017-01-01

Introduction: The use of liquid crystalline (LC) gel formulations for drug delivery has considerably improved the current delivery methods in terms of bioavailability and efficacy. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate LC gel formulations to deliver the anti-cancer drug exemestane through transdermal route. Methods: Two LC gel formulations were prepared by phase separation coacervation method using glyceryl monooleate (GMO), Tween 80 and Pluronic® F127 (F127). The formulations were characterized with regard to encapsulation efficiency (EE), vesicle size, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, surface morphology (using light and fluorescence microscopy), in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, in vitro effectiveness test on MDA-MB231 cancer cell lines and histopathological analysis. Results: Results exhibited that the EE was 85%-92%, vesicle size was 119.9-466.2 nm while morphology showed spherical vesicles after hydration. An FTIR result also revealed that there was no significant shift in peaks corresponding to Exemestane and excipients. LC formulations release the drug from cellulose acetate and Strat-MTM membrane from 15%-88.95%, whereas ex vivo permeation ranges from 37.09-63%. The in vitro effectiveness study indicated that even at low exemestane concentrations (12.5 and 25 μg/mL) the formulations were able to induce cancer cell death, regardless of the surfactant used. Histopathological analysis thinning of the epidermis as the formulations penetrate into the intercellular regions of squamous cells. Conclusion: The results conjectured that exemestane could be incorporated into LC gels for the transdermal delivery system and further preclinical studies such as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies will be carried out with suitable animal models.

Direct measure of the tilt angle in “de Vries type” liquid crystals through NMR spectroscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Marchetti, A.; Domenici, V.; Novotná, Vladimíra; Lelli, M.; Cifelli, M.; Lesage, A.; Veracini, C.A.

2010-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 8 (2010), s. 1641-1645 ISSN 1439-4235 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010920 Keywords : liquid crystals * ferroelectricity * de Vries behaviour Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.339, year: 2010

A method for producing liquid paraffin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorodnova, V.S.; Martynenko, A.G.; Pereverzev, A.N.

1983-01-01

In the known method (Sp) for producing liquid paraffins (ZhP) through processing an oil fraction by crystalline carbamide in the presence of a solvent with subsequent removal of the formed complex (Km) of KA with the liquid paraffins from the deparaffinized product, staged washing and decomposition of the complex with isolation of the liquid paraffins, in order to increase the output of liquid paraffin and to improve its quality, beta,beta'-dichlorethyl ether (khloreks) in a mixture with methylethyl ketone (MEK) or methylisobutyl ketone in a ratio of 1 is used as the solvent, the processing by the crystalline carbamide is conducted with the addition of 180 to 260 percent solvent to raw material (Sr) and the washing of the composition is conducted by a solvent in the first stage and by methylethyl ketone or methylisobutyl ketone in the second stage. The crystalline carbamide for the complex formation is taken in a conversion of 60 to 70 percent for the raw material for observing the raw material to solvent ratio of from 1 to 1.8 to 2.6 to 0.6 to 0.6. The temperature in the zone of formation of the complex is maintained at 5 to 35 degrees. The presence of beta,beta'-dichlorethyl ether, which has high selectivity relative to aromatic hydrocarbons (ArU) and to resinous compounds provides for a sharp reduction in the adsorption of the undesired components on the surface of the granules of the complex and the crystalline carbamide and to a reduction in the portion of the alkylaromatic hydrocarbons (UV) extracted into the complex, which leads to a substantial improvement in the quality of the obtained liquid paraffins.