Flexoelectricity in Solids

From Theory to Applications

This unique compendium is devoted to flexoelectricity — the response of polarization to a strain gradient. The effect is analogous to piezoelectricity which is the response of polarization to strain itself. In contrast to piezoelectricity, which appears only in non-centrosymmetric materials, flexoelectric effect is allowed by symmetry in any materials. It becomes appreciable in nano-scale systems, where large strain gradients arise. The book discusses different nano-scale manifestations of the effect ranging from repulsion of acoustic and optic branches of materials to flexoelectricity in domain walls. It mainly caters for scientists, engineers and students.

Contents:

• Basic Theoretical Description of Flexoelectricity in Solids (P V Yudin and A K Tagantsev)
• First-Principles Theory of Flexoelectricity (Massimiliano Stengel and David Vanderbilt)
• A Continuum Theory of Flexoelectricity (Q Deng, L Liu, and P Sharma)
• Mechanical Boundary Conditions for a Case When Thermodynamic Potential Depends on Strain Gradients (A S Yurkov)
• Flexoelectric Deformations of Finite-Size Bodies in Framework of the Theory of Continuum (A S Yurkov)
• Flexoelectricity and Phonon Spectra (P V Yudin, A Kvasov, and A K Tagantsev)
• Impact of Flexoelectric Effect on Electro-mechanics of Moderate Conductors (A N Morozovska, O V Varenyk, and S V Kalinin)
• Role of Flexoelectricity in Multidomain Ferroelectrics (R Ahluwalia, A K Tagantsev, P Yudin, N Setter, N Ng, and D J Srolovitz)
• Flexoelectricity Impact on the Domain Wall Structure and Polar Properties (A N Morozovska, S V Kalinin, and E A Eliseev)
• Bending-Induced Giant Polarization in Ferroelectric MEMS Diaphragm (Zhihong Wang and Weiguang Zhu)
• Quasi-Amorphous Materials (David Ehre, Ellen Wachtel, and Igor Lubomirsky)

Readership: Researchers, academics, professionals and graduate students in materials engineering, mechanical engineering and chemical engineering.