Phase transitions and ferroelectrics: revival and the future in the field

TL;DR

This paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of ferroelectrics, highlighting recent advances and future challenges in areas like piezoelectrics, multiferroics, high-pressure effects, and strain engineering.

Contribution

It offers a subjective selection of four current topics in ferroelectrics, discussing recent approaches and future challenges, serving as a snapshot of the field's current excitement.

Findings

Insights into the morphotropic phase boundary in piezoelectrics

Emerging research on multiferroics applications

Effects of high pressure and strain engineering on ferroelectric properties

Abstract

It appeared worthwhile to us to present a state-of-the-art look at the field of ferroelectrics. We are certainly not attempting to provide a complete review of all aspects of the field of ferroelectrics over the last years but we wish to transport a flavour of the current excitement in the field through the (subjective) choice of four specific examples of current interest: (i) Piezoelectrics and the morphotropic phase boundary, (ii) Multiferroics, (iii) The effect of high pressure on ferroelectrics and (iv) Strain-engineering in ferroelectric oxide thin films. For each topic we will try to work out both current interesting approaches and an outlook into future challenges. Throughout our discussion, the reader is referred to a list of significant review articles, books and papers in the field.