The physical basis of the domain engineering in ferroelectrics and its application to lithium niobate crystals were reviewed. The unified kinetic approach to the domain structure evolution in electric field was formulated and its validity for understanding the variety of observed domain evolution scenarios was demonstrated. The kinetics and statics of the domain structure in the crystals of lithium niobate family including congruent, stoichiometric, and MgO doped ones have been discussed. The main stages of the periodical poling process and related problems have been pointed out. The basic poling techniques applied for creation of the periodical domain structures in bulk crystals and waveguides were compared. The recent applications of the periodically poled lithium niobate for light frequency conversion using second harmonic generation and optical parametric oscillation, excitation of the surface acoustic waves, and generation of terahertz radiation have been discussed. The special attention has been paid for achievements in fabrication of high-power optical parametric oscillation and integrated optical devices with periodically poled lithium niobate. The future trends in periodical poling and development of the nanodomain engineering which will allow to create the nanoscale domain patterns necessary for utilization of the new nonlinear interactions were reviewed.

The natural ability of peptides and proteins to self-assemble into elongated fibrils is associated with several neurogenerative diseases. Diphenylalanine (FF) tubular structures that have the same structural motif as in Ab-amyloid peptide (involved in Alzheimer's disease) are shown to possess remarkable physical properties ranging from piezoelectricity to electrochemical activities. In this work, we also discover a significant pyroelectric activity and measure the temperature dependence of the pyroelectric coefficient in the temperature range of 20 100 C. Pyroelectric activity decreases with temperature contrary to most ferroelectric materials and significant relaxation of pyrocurrent is observed on cooling after heating above 50 C. This unusual behavior is assigned to the temperature-induced disorder of water molecules inside the nanochannels. Pyroelectric coefficient and current and voltage figures of merit are estimated and future applications of pyroelectric peptide nanostructures in biomedical applications are outlined. Published by AIP Publishing.

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High resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments were performed on (111)-oriented PbZr0.45Ti0.55O3-based capacitors with a composition in the morphotropic region. Diffraction analyzes were done after bipolar pulses were applied and removed, representing several places in the cyclic switching. Microstructural changes were evidenced from relative diffracted intensities variations of several Bragg reflections and a correlation with the evolution of the ferroelectric responses has been established. First, a peculiar microstructural evolution was observed during the first 3×104 switching cycles and was attributed to the so-called “wake-up” effect. On the other hand, the onset of the fatigue phenomenon was accompanied by significant variations on integrated diffraction intensities. Several mechanisms are proposed and discussed to explain such variations. Finally, the ferroelectric responses were analyzed after x-ray diffraction experiments and compared with those measured before exposure. A detailed analysis has shown that both domain configuration and switching process are strongly influenced by x-ray irradiation. It can be considered that x rays act as a “revealer” of the domain structure created during the preceding electrical treatment.

Hysteresis loops of the piezoelectric coefficient, d 33 = f͑E 3 ͒, are measured on virgin and fatigued lead zirconate titanate ceramics. Four parameters are directly extracted from the measurements: internal bias field E b , offset piezoelectric coefficient d offset , coercive field E c , and remnant piezoelectric coefficient d r . The reduction in d r displays the decreasing switchable polarization with fatigue cycling. E b and d offset are found to be linearly related. After thermal annealing, both offsets disappear, while the increase in E c and the reduction in d r withstand annealing. The microscopic entities responsible for the offsets are less stable than those for reduced switching.

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