Block Lecture: Electromechanical-Properties of Ferroelectrics (Prof. Webber)

This lecture is an introduction to dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric properties of ferroelectrics. In the first section, background on dielectric and piezoelectric properties will be discussed with a focus on the influence of material phenomena at multiple length scales, such as domain wall and phase boundary motion, as well as the influence of external thermal, mechanical, and electric fields. Various measurement techniques, such as Rayleigh behavior and impedance spectroscopy, will be introduced. In the second section, the large field response of ferroelectrics, namely ferroelectricity and ferro elasticity will be discussed with a particular focus on the effect of crystal structure and compositional phase boundaries, the role of domain wall motion and defects, and the influence of stress-induced structural phase transformations. Measurement techniques for characterizing large field behavior, such as the Sawyer-Tower circuit, will also be introduced. Following this lecture it is expected that the participant is familiar with the dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric properties of normal ferroelectrics and has an understanding of the crystallographic origins of the electromechanical properties.