Topological phase transition in polar skyrmions: a perspective from second principles simulations
ORAL
Abstract
When ultrathin ferroelectric layers of PbTiO3 are embedded in superlattices with SrTiO3, the interplay between elastic, electrostatic, and gradient energies produces complex patterns of the electrical polarization. In particular, depending on the mechanical boundary conditions, nanometer scale of vortex arrays1 and topologically non-trivial polar skyrmion bubbles have been recently detected2. Using second-principles methods3 as implemented in the SCALE-UP code4 we study the response of these topologically protected structures to electric field and temperature. We show a reversible phase transition from the skyrmion state to a trivial uniform ferroelectric state, accompanied by large tunability of the dielectric permittivity5.
1 A. K. Yadav et al., Nature 530, 198 (2016)
2 S. Das et al., Nature 568, 368 (2019)
3 J. Wojdel et al., J. Phys.:Condens. Matter 25, 305401 (2013)
4 P. García-Fernández et al., Phys. Rev. B 93 195137 (2016)
5 S. Das et al., Nat. Mater. (2020)
1 A. K. Yadav et al., Nature 530, 198 (2016)
2 S. Das et al., Nature 568, 368 (2019)
3 J. Wojdel et al., J. Phys.:Condens. Matter 25, 305401 (2013)
4 P. García-Fernández et al., Phys. Rev. B 93 195137 (2016)
5 S. Das et al., Nat. Mater. (2020)
*J. J., F.G.O., and P.G.F. were funded by the Spanish Ministery of Science, Innovation and Universities with the Grant No. PGC2018-096955-B-C41. J.Í was funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund CORE program, Grant FNR/C15/MS/10458889 NEWALLS. M.A.P.G was funded by the Czech Science Foundation, project no 19-28594X.
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Presenters
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Mauro Gonçalves
- Department of Dielectrics, Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences