We show that surface interactions can vectorially structure the three-dimensional polarization field of a ferroelectric fluid. The contact between a ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal and a surface with in-plane polarity generates a preferred in-plane orientation of the polarization field at that interface. This is a route to the formation of fluid or glassy monodomains of high polarization without the need for electric field poling. For example, unidirectional buffing of polyimide films on planar surfaces to give quadrupolar in-plane anisotropy also induces macroscopic in-plane polar order at the surfaces, enabling the formation of a variety of azimuthal polar director structures in the cell interior, including uniform and twisted states. In a π-twist cell, obtained with antiparallel, unidirectional buffing on opposing surfaces, we demonstrate three distinct modes of ferroelectric nematic electro-optic response: intrinsic, viscosity-limited, field-induced molecular reorientation; field-induced motion of domain walls separating twisted states of opposite chirality; and propagation of polarization reorientation solitons from the cell plates to the cell center upon field reversal. Chirally doped ferroelectric nematics in antiparallel-rubbed cells produce Grandjean textures of helical twist that can be unwound via field-induced polar surface reorientation transitions. Fields required are in the 3-V/mm range, indicating an in-plane polar anchoring energy ofmore »
This content will become publicly available on April 28, 2023
Modeling temperature, frequency, and strain effects on the linear electro-optic coefficients of ferroelectric oxides
An electro-optic modulator offers the function of modulating the propagation of light in a material with an electric field and enables a seamless connection between electronics-based computing and photonics-based communication. The search for materials with large electro-optic coefficients and low optical loss is critical to increase the efficiency and minimize the size of electro-optic devices. We present a semi-empirical method to compute the electro-optic coefficients of ferroelectric materials by combining first-principles density-functional theory calculations with Landau–Devonshire phenomenological modeling. We apply the method to study the electro-optic constants, also called Pockels coefficients, of three paradigmatic ferroelectric oxides: BaTiO 3 , LiNbO 3 , and LiTaO 3 . We present their temperature-, frequency-, and strain-dependent electro-optic tensors calculated using our method. The predicted electro-optic constants agree with the experimental results, where available, and provide benchmarks for experimental verification.
- Publication Date:
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10322566
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Volume:
- 131
- Issue:
- 16
- ISSN:
- 0021-8979
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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