This award supports a research program that is aimed at: (1) investigating complex phenomena in bulk ferroelectric materials and ferroelectric nanocomposites, (2) modeling and understanding static and dynamical properties of multiferroics in their simple bulk, solid solution, and ultrathin forms, and (3) designing new dipolar materials with desirable and new properties.
The research objectives will be tackled through the development and use of the following state-of-the-art and ab initio numerical tools: (i) first-principles techniques, (ii) effective Hamiltonian approaches that extend the reach of first-principles calculations by realistically mimicking static and dynamical properties of ferroelectrics and multiferroics at finite temperature, and (iii) the inverse method that allows an efficient design of materials with improved properties.
Existing collaborations with well-known European research groups who have a vital experimental program on ferroelectrics and multiferroics will be strengthened. The proposed cooperative activities between the University of Arkansas and the European partners will allow a careful side-by-side comparison between predictions and measurements, which is important to fully understand the systems to be investigated, and to refine the numerical tools to be developed. A broad and deep knowledge of complex phenomena, nanoscience and phase transitions in dipolar systems is expected to be gained thanks to the diversity of techniques to be developed and used, and the variety of systems to be investigated.
This research program will be integrated into the educational experience of students by: (i) training them in computational and experimental physics via a joint Ph.D. program between the University of Arkansas and Ecole Centrale de Paris in France, (ii) organizing a weekly video conference as well as regular visits between the European collaborators and the University of Arkansas, and (iii) incorporating recent research findings on ferroelectrics and multiferroics into Condensed Matter Physics classes. The PI will also aim at increasing diversity by attracting students from underrepresented groups to be active players of the proposed projects.
NONTECHNICAL SUMMARY
Ferroelectrics possess a spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by applying an electric field. These materials are of importance for a variety of device applications, such as "piezoelectric transducers" that convert electrical pulses to mechanical vibrations and vice versa, actuators that convert energy into various kinds of motion, "non-volatile memories" that retain stored information even when not powered, and dielectrics for microelectronics and wireless communication. Similarly, multiferroics form a promising class of materials that exhibits a rare coexistence between ferroelectricity and magnetism that may be prove to ve very useful for designing novel devices. Several materials related issues in ferroelectrics and multiferroics are presently unknown.
The present award supports a research program that is aimed at: (1) investigating complex phenomena in ferroelectric materials, (2) modeling and understanding several properties of multiferroics, and (3) designing new materials with desirable and new properties. The PI will develop and use various computational techniques to achieve these goals.
Existing collaborations with well-known European research groups who have a vital experimental program on ferroelectrics and multiferroics will be strengthened. The proposed cooperative activities between the University of Arkansas and the European partners will allow a careful side-by-side comparison between predictions and measurements, which is important to fully understand the systems to be investigated, and to refine the numerical tools to be developed. A broad and deep knowledge of complex phenomena, nanoscience and phase transitions is expected to be gained thanks to the diversity of techniques to be developed and used, and the variety of systems to be investigated. In addition to building a network that will be the basis for future collaborations and exchange of students between the involved institutions, the collaborative efforts also have the potential to result in the realization of devices with improved and/or new functionalities that can positively affect quality of life and improve energy efficiency and storage.
This research program will be integrated into the educational experience of students by: (i) training them in computational and experimental physics via a joint Ph.D. program between the University of Arkansas and Ecole Centrale de Paris in France, (ii) organizing a weekly video conference as well as regular visits between the European collaborators and the University of Arkansas, and (iii) incorporating recent research findings on ferroelectrics and multiferroics into Condensed Matter Physics classes. The PI will also aim at increasing diversity by attracting students from underrepresented groups to be active players of the proposed projects.
