Superparaelectric phase in the ensemble of non-interacting ferroelectric nanoparticles

TL;DR

This paper predicts the emergence of a superparaelectric phase in ensembles of non-interacting ferroelectric nanoparticles, using phenomenological models to analyze polarization behavior and phase conditions.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of superparaelectricity in nanoparticle ensembles and provides theoretical conditions for its appearance based on Landau-Ginzburg modeling.

Findings

Superparaelectric phase can occur in non-interacting ferroelectric nanoparticles.

Correlation radius and energy barriers are calculated for specific materials.

Polarization response to electric fields is characterized within the model.

Abstract

For the first time we predict the conditions of superparaelectric phase appearance in the ensemble of non-interacting spherical ferroelectric nanoparticles. The superparaelectricity in nanoparticle was defined by analogy with superparamagnetism, obtained earlier in small nanoparticles made of paramagnetic material. Calculations of correlation radius, energetic barriers of polarization reorientation and polarization response to external electric field, were performed within Landau-Ginzburg phenomenological approach for perovskites Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, BiFeO3 and uniaxial ferroelectrics rochelle salt and triglycine sulfate.