Explanation of Ferro Electricity and Ferro-electric Crystal

 

Ferro Electricity

It states that

Ferroelectricity is a phenomenon that occurs in certain materials where their electric polarization can be switched by the application of an external electric field.

 

In ferroelectric materials, the atoms are arranged in a crystal lattice structure, with some atoms having a positive charge and others having a negative charge. This arrangement causes the material to have a spontaneous polarization even in the absence of an external electric field.

 

When an external electric field is applied to the material, the polarization of the material can be switched, and it will retain this polarization even after the electric field is removed. This makes ferroelectric materials useful for a variety of applications, such as in sensors, actuators, and memory devices.

 

Ferroelectricity is similar to ferromagnetism, where certain materials can become magnetic and retain their magnetic properties even in the absence of an external magnetic field. However, the underlying physics of the two phenomena are different, and ferroelectricity is typically observed in materials that do not exhibit ferromagnetism.

Example

One example of a ferroelectric material is lead zirconate titanate (PZT). PZT is commonly used in various applications such as actuators, sensors, and non-volatile memory devices due to its strong ferroelectric properties. Other examples of ferroelectric materials include barium titanate, lithium niobate, and potassium niobate.

Ferro-Electric Crystal

A ferroelectric crystal is a type of crystal in which the electric polarization can be switched by the application of an external electric field. Ferroelectric crystals have a spontaneous polarization that arises from the asymmetric arrangement of atoms in the crystal lattice structure.

 

This spontaneous polarization occurs because the atoms in the crystal are not distributed symmetrically with respect to the center of the crystal. As a result, the crystal has a net electric dipole moment and exhibits ferroelectricity.

 

When an external electric field is applied to a ferroelectric crystal, the dipole moments of the atoms are aligned with the field direction, resulting in a change in the polarization of the crystal. This change in polarization can be either reversible or irreversible, depending on the nature of the crystal.

 

Ferroelectric crystals have important technological applications, such as in electronic devices, including capacitors, transducers, and memory devices.

Examples of ferroelectric crystals include lead zirconate titanate (PZT), lithium niobate, and barium titanate.