09 January 2024 | S. Prokhorenko, Y. Nahas, V. Govinden, Q. Zhang, N. Valanoor & L. Bellaiche
This study investigates the motion and teleportation of electric bubbles in ultra-thin Pb(Zr₀.₄Ti₀.₆)O₃ films. Electric bubbles are sub-10 nm spherical vortices of electric dipoles that can spontaneously form in ultra-thin ferroelectrics. While the static properties of electric bubbles are well understood, their dynamics remain unexplored. The research reveals pathways to realize both spontaneous and controlled dynamics of electric bubbles. In low screening conditions, electric bubbles exhibit thermally-driven chaotic motion, forming a liquid-like state. In high screening conditions, bubbles remain static but can be displaced by a local electric field. Additionally, the study predicts and demonstrates bubble teleportation, where a bubble is transferred to a new location via a single electric field pulse from a PFM tip.
Electric bubbles share similarities with magnetic skyrmions, characterized by a dipolar skyrmion texture with an integer Skyrmion number. The study shows that electric bubbles can spontaneously move, similar to magnetic skyrmions in skyrmion liquids. The dynamics of electric bubbles are attributed to the hierarchical structure of the energy landscape. The research identifies a tri-critical point in the phase diagram, where the transition from a bubble lattice to a homogeneously polarized state changes from continuous to first-order. At low screening conditions, the transition is continuous, allowing for spontaneous bubble motion. At high screening conditions, the transition is first-order, enabling controlled bubble motion via external fields.
The study also demonstrates bubble teleportation, where a bubble is transferred to a new location via a single electric field pulse. This process is characterized by the creation of a new bubble at a new location while the original bubble fades out. The results show that the energy landscape of bubble states has a hierarchical structure with multiple basins, each fragmented into sub-minima. The energy barriers between these basins determine the transition behavior between different bubble states. The study confirms the existence of these energy barriers through NEB simulations and experimental observations. The findings suggest that electric bubbles could be used in dynamically reconfigurable electronic circuits and stochastic computing. The research provides insights into the fundamental behavior of electric bubbles and their potential applications in technology.This study investigates the motion and teleportation of electric bubbles in ultra-thin Pb(Zr₀.₄Ti₀.₆)O₃ films. Electric bubbles are sub-10 nm spherical vortices of electric dipoles that can spontaneously form in ultra-thin ferroelectrics. While the static properties of electric bubbles are well understood, their dynamics remain unexplored. The research reveals pathways to realize both spontaneous and controlled dynamics of electric bubbles. In low screening conditions, electric bubbles exhibit thermally-driven chaotic motion, forming a liquid-like state. In high screening conditions, bubbles remain static but can be displaced by a local electric field. Additionally, the study predicts and demonstrates bubble teleportation, where a bubble is transferred to a new location via a single electric field pulse from a PFM tip.
Electric bubbles share similarities with magnetic skyrmions, characterized by a dipolar skyrmion texture with an integer Skyrmion number. The study shows that electric bubbles can spontaneously move, similar to magnetic skyrmions in skyrmion liquids. The dynamics of electric bubbles are attributed to the hierarchical structure of the energy landscape. The research identifies a tri-critical point in the phase diagram, where the transition from a bubble lattice to a homogeneously polarized state changes from continuous to first-order. At low screening conditions, the transition is continuous, allowing for spontaneous bubble motion. At high screening conditions, the transition is first-order, enabling controlled bubble motion via external fields.
The study also demonstrates bubble teleportation, where a bubble is transferred to a new location via a single electric field pulse. This process is characterized by the creation of a new bubble at a new location while the original bubble fades out. The results show that the energy landscape of bubble states has a hierarchical structure with multiple basins, each fragmented into sub-minima. The energy barriers between these basins determine the transition behavior between different bubble states. The study confirms the existence of these energy barriers through NEB simulations and experimental observations. The findings suggest that electric bubbles could be used in dynamically reconfigurable electronic circuits and stochastic computing. The research provides insights into the fundamental behavior of electric bubbles and their potential applications in technology.