Flexoelectricity induced spatially modulated phases in ferroics and liquid crystals (Author review)

TL;DR

This review discusses how flexoelectric coupling influences the formation of spatially modulated phases in ferroics and liquid crystals, highlighting theoretical modeling and experimental relevance for advanced applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of flexoelectricity on phase modulation, emphasizing the role of flexocoupling strength in phase formation in ferroics and liquid crystals.

Findings

Flexoelectric coupling can induce spatially modulated phases.

Theoretical modeling shows increased flexocoupling leads to phase modulation.

Flexoelectric phenomena are crucial for nanoelectronics and display technologies.

Abstract

In the review we briefly analyze the state-of-art in the theory of flexoelectric phenomena and analyze how significantly the flexoelectric coupling can change the polar order parameter distribution in different ferroics and liquid crystals. The special attention in paid to the appearance of the spatially modulated phases induced by the flexocoupling in condensed and soft matter. Results of theoretical modeling performed in the framework of the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire formalism revealed that the general feature, inherent to both ferroics and liquid crystals, is the appearance of the spatially-modulated phases is taking place with increasing of the flexocoupling strength. We'd like to underline that theoretical and experimental study of flexoelectricity and related phenomena in nanosized and bulk ferroics, liquid crystals and related materials are very important for their advanced applications in nanoelectronics, memory devices and LC displays.