BZT:a soft pseudo-spin glass

TL;DR

This paper models relaxor ferroelectricity in Ba(Zr,Ti)O3 using a simplified soft pseudo-spin glass approach, explaining non-ergodicity and nanodomain formation observed in simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mapping of relaxor behavior to a soft pseudo-spin glass model, providing new insights into the origin of relaxor ferroelectricity.

Findings

Explains non-ergodic behavior in relaxors

Describes formation of nanodomains

Provides a simplified theoretical framework

Abstract

In an attempt to understand the origin of relaxor ferroelectricity, it is shown that interesting behaviour of the onset of non-ergodicity and of precursor nanodomains found in first principles simulations of the relaxor alloy $\mathrm {Ba(Zr}_{1-x}\mathrm{Ti}_{x}\mathrm{)O}_3$ can be understood easily by a simple mapping to a soft pseudo-spin glass.