No Arabic abstract
Doping is a widely used method to tune physical properties of ferroelectric perovskites. Since doping can induce charges due to the substitution of certain elements, charge effects shall be considered in doped samples. To understand how charges can affect the system, we incorporate the dipole-charge interaction into our simulations, where the pinched hysteresis loops can well be reproduced. Two charge compensation models are proposed and numerically investigated to understand how lanthanum doping affect BaTiO$_{3}$s ferroelectric phase transition temperature and hysteresis loop. The consequences of the two charge compensation models are compared and discussed.
While doping is widely used for tuning physical properties of perovskites in experiments, it remains a challenge to exactly know how doping achieves the desired effects. Here, we propose an empirical and computationally tractable model to understand the effects of doping with Fe-doped BaTiO$_{3}$ as an example. This model assumes that the lattice sites occupied by Fe ion and its nearest six neighbors lose their ability to polarize, giving rise to a small cluster of defective dipoles. Employing this model in Monte-Carlo simulations, many important features like reduced polarization and the convergence of phase transition temperatures, which have been observed experimentally in acceptor doped systems, are successfully obtained. Based on microscopic information of dipole configurations, we provide insights into the driving forces behind doping effects and propose that active dipoles, which exist in proximity to the defective dipoles, can account for experimentally observed phenomena. Close attention to these dipoles are necessary to understand and predict doping effects.
We propose a model of magneto-electric effect in doped magnetic ferroelectrics. This magneto-electric effect does not involve the spin-orbit coupling and is based purely on the Coulomb interaction. We calculate magnetic phase diagram of doped magnetic ferroelectrics. We show that magneto-electric coupling is pronounced only for ferroelectrics with low dielectric constant. We find that magneto-electric coupling leads to modification of magnetization temperature dependence in the vicinity of ferroelectric phase transition. A peak of magnetization appears. We find that magnetization of doped magnetic ferroelectrics strongly depends on applied electric field.
Dabconium hybrid perovskites include a number of recently-discovered ferroelectric phases with large spontaneous polarisations. The origin of ferroelectric response has been rationalised in general terms in the context of hydrogen bonding, covalency, and strain coupling. Here we use a combination of simple theory, Monte Carlo simulations, and density functional theory calculations to assess the ability of these microscopic ingredients---together with the always-present through-space dipolar coupling---to account for the emergence of polarisation in these particular systems whilst not in other hybrid perovskites. Our key result is that the combination of A-site polarity, preferred orientation along $langle111rangle$ directions, and ferroelastic strain coupling drives precisely the ferroelectric transition observed experimentally. We rationalise the absence of polarisation in many hybrid perovskites, and arrive at a set of design rules for generating FE examples beyond the dabconium family alone.
The formation of polarons due to the interaction between charge carriers and the crystal lattice has been proposed to have wide-ranging effects on charge carrier dynamics in lead--halide perovskites (LHPs). The hypothesis underlying many of those proposals is that charge carriers are protected from scattering by their incorporation into polarons. We test that hypothesis by deriving expressions for the rates of scattering of polarons by polar-optical and acoustic phonons, and ionised impurities, which we compute for electrons in the LHPs MAPbI$_{3}$ , MAPbBr$_{3}$ and CsPbI$_{3}$. We then use the ensemble Monte Carlo method to compute electron-polaron distribution functions which satisfy a Boltzmann equation incorporating the same three scattering mechanisms. By carrying out analogous calculations for band electrons and comparing their results to those for polarons, we conclude that polaron formation impacts charge-carrier scattering rates and mobilities to a limited degree in LHPs, contrary to claims in the recent literature.
The mechanocaloric effect is the temperature change of a material upon application or removal of an external stress. Beyond its fundamental interest, this caloric response represents a promising and ecofriendly alternative to current cooling technologies. To obtain large mechanocaloric effects, we need materials whose elastic properties (e.g., strain, elastic compliance) are strongly temperature dependent. This is the case of ferroelectric perovskite oxides, where the development of the spontaneous electric polarization is accompanied by significant strains and lattice softening. Thus, in this work we study the mechanocaloric properties of model ferroelectric PbTiO$_{3}$, by means of predictive atomistic (second-principles) simulations and a perturbative formalism here introduced. Our calculations reveal relatively large effects (up to $-$4 K for relatively small applied compressions of $-$0.1 GPa) and several striking features. In particular, we find that the mechanocaloric response is highly anisotropic in the ferroelectric phase, as it can be either conventional (temperature increases upon compression) or inverse (temperature decreases) depending on the direction of the applied stress. We discuss and explain these surprising results, which compare well with existing experimental information. Our analysis suggests that the coexistence of conventional and inverse mechanocaloric responses is probably common among ferroelectrics and materials displaying a negative thermal expansion.