Probing Ultrafast Dynamics of Ferroelectrics by Time‐Resolved Pump‐Probe Spectroscopy

Abstract

Ferroelectric materials have been a key research topic owing to their wide variety of modern electronic and photonic applications. For the quick exploration of higher operating speed, smaller size, and superior efficiencies of novel ferroelectric devices, the ultrafast dynamics of ferroelectrics that directly reflect their respond time and lifetimes have drawn considerable attention. Driven by time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy that allows for probing, controlling, and modulating dynamic processes of ferroelectrics in real-time, much research efforts have been made to understand and exploit the ultrafast dynamics of ferroelectric. Herein, the current state of ultrafast dynamic features of ferroelectrics tracked by time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy is reviewed, which includes ferroelectrics order parameters of polarization, lattice, spin, electronic excitation, and their coupling. Several potential perspectives and possible further applications combining ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy and ferroelectrics are also presented. This review offers a clear guidance of ultrafast dynamics of ferroelectric orders, which may promote the rapid development of next-generation devices.

Terahertz pulse induced second harmonic generation and Kerr effect in the quantum paraelectric KTaO3

“…Among the multitude of optical control schemes for various ferroic order parameters, we focus here on the control of the ferroelectric dipole moment using terahertz electric field transients. While other schemes for manipulating the ferroelectric order may be feasible [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] , this method of control is appealing due to its conceptual simplicity -electric field E couples directly to the electric dipole d via the −d • E energy term. The ferroelectric instability is often driven by the soft phonon mode that is resonant with the THz electric field, which means that this frequency approaches the fastest possible ferroelectric switching rates 14 .…”

Temporal and spatial tracking of ultrafast light-induced strain and polarization modulation in a ferroelectric thin film

“…In piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials, the couplings between lattice distortions and the polar order are pivotal for key applications, such as smart electromechanical microelectronic components, spintronic memories, or advanced photonics (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). With the demand for high-rate data processing, the control of these couplings at ultrafast time scales, i.e., in the picosecond range, is desirable.…”

Designing Ultrafast Cooling Rate for Room Temperature Electrocaloric Effects by Phase‐Field Simulations

“…[10][11][12][13][14] Recently, the dynamic process of ferroelectrics has attracted intensive research interest, and many efforts have been made to track their ultrafast dynamic behavior in real-time. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Experimentally, research on the ultrafast dynamics of ferroelectrics has mainly focused on ultrafast polarization dynamics and modulation, [22,23] photopolarization, and mechanics, [24,25] phase transition, [26] electronphonon/phonon-polariton/electric-magnetic coupling, [27,28] carrier dynamics and radiative recombination. [29] However, there are few types of ferroelectric [7] studies investigating the ECE through EFP.…”