Ferroelectricity in Silver Perovskite Oxides

TL;DR

This paper explores ferroelectricity in silver perovskite oxides AgNbO3 and AgTaO3, highlighting their potential for high-performance piezoelectric applications through electric field and chemical modifications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the induction of ferroelectricity in silver perovskite oxides and discusses their promising electromechanical properties for device applications.

Findings

AgNbO3 exhibits ferri-electric ordering with switchable ferroelectric states.

AgTaO3 is a quantum paraelectric that can become ferroelectric via chemical substitution.

Silver perovskites show potential for high-performance piezoelectric devices.

Abstract

There are two silver perovskite oxides: AgNbO3 and AgTaO3. AgNbO3 has a noncentrosymmetric group of Pmc21 at room temperature with a ferri-electric ordering of polarization. Such a ferri-electric state with small polarization can be changed into a ferroelectric state with very large polarization by a high electric field or by a chemical modification. The induced ferroelectric phase shows promising electromechanical response for applications in piezoelectric devices. In contrast, AgTaO3 is a quantum paraelectric, but ferroelectricity also can be induced through chemical substitution. The findings of good ferroelectric and piezoelectric performance in the silver perovskites are hoped to trigger further theoretical and experimental investigations on these systems.