Applications of Ferroelectrics

Because of the large dielectric constant of barium titanate at ambient temperature, it finds application in ceramic disc capacitors. The large dielectric constant allows higher capacitance with less volume. 

Because ferroelectrics can retain their polarization indefinitely imtil their polarity is switched by the application of an electric field, they can serve as nonvolatile memory elements or ferroelectric RAMs (FRAMs). The storage capacitors in dynamic RAMs (DRAMs) can be replaced by ferroelectrics and eliminate the need to continually refresh the memory. 

Thin ferroelectric films are finding applications as optical waveguides to carry light along a substrate. PLZT is particularly interesting because it is transparent and has a high electro-optical coefficient which makes it a candidate for applications for optical switching, optical memories, and display devices. 

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A.I. Agulyansky, V.T. Kalinnikov, Actual problems of preparation and application of ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials. Abstracts of III Vses. Confer. Moscow NIITEChlM 1987 p. 15 (in Russian). 

M.E. Lines, A.M. Glass Principals and application of ferroelectrics and related materials, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1977. 

A.P. Leonov, S.Yu. Stephanovich, Preparation and application of ferroelectric materials, Nauka, Moscow, 1984, p. 21 (in Russian). 

WangTT, Herbert JM, Glass AM (1987) The applications of ferroelectric polymers. Blackie, Glasgow... 

Lines ME, Glass AM (1977) Principles and applications of ferroelectrics and related materials. Clarendon, Oxford, UK... 

Liquid crystals have found widespread application in optical display devices as well as in detection of temperature uniformity and impurities. These properties are related to the orientational order of molecules in the temperature region between and the melting point. The possible applications of ferroelectric liquid crystals are promising. Superconductors (type II) can be used to create high magnetic fields at low power the ability of type I superconductors to trap magnetic flux within the domains of the normal material may also have applications. 

It can be safely predicted that applications of liquid crystals will expand in the future to more and more sophisticated areas of electronics. Potential applications of ferroelectric liquid crystals (e.g. fast shutters, complex multiplexed displays) are particularly exciting. The only LC that can show ferroelectric property is the chiral smectic C. Viable ferroelectric displays have however not yet materialized. Antifer-roelectric phases may also have good potential in display applications. Supertwisted nematic displays of twist artgles of around 240° and materials with low viscosity which respond relatively fast, have found considerable application. Another development is the polymer dispersed liquid crystal display in which small nematic droplets ( 2 gm in diameter) are formed in a polymer matrix. Liquid crystalline elastomers with novel physical properties would have many applications. 

Legrand JF, Delzenne P, Lajzerowicz J (1986) Proc of the International Symosium on the Applications of Ferroelectrics (ISAF86). Ed by V Wood. Lehigh University Bethlehem Pa... 

Lines. M.E.. A.M. Glass Principles and Applications of Ferroelectric and Telaied Materials. Oxford University Press. Inc.. New York. NY. 2000. 

Girling, I.R., Cade, N.A., Kolinsky, P.V. and Peterson, I.R. 1986 Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics June 8-11 1986. 

Modification by acetylacetone is a powerful route, that allows precursor solutions to be stabilized. Interaction of titanium alkoxides with acetylacetone was extensively studied and reviewed in [1391,86]. Study ofreactions, occurring on interaction of Zr(OPrn)4 and Ti-Zr alkoxide mixture with acetylacetone, was performed in [1448] and allowed the authors to simplify the technique for preparation of precursor solution for PZT films application and to overcome the requirement of prolonged refluxing, which certainly decreases reproducibility. After dissolution of titanium and zirconium alkoxides in methoxyethanol, acetylacetone is added to form stable zirconium and titanium stock solutions. The introduction of acetylacetone allowed aqueous lead acetate (and lanthanum acetate for PLZT films) solutions to be added to mixed titanium and zirconium solutions. No reaction steps involving elevated temperatures or distillation or long reaction times are required. The solution could be used both immediately on mixing or after storage for several months. Such solutions were successfully used for application of ferroelectric films. 

Lines, M.E. Glass, A.M. Principles and Applications of Ferroelectrics and Related Materials Clarendon Press Oxford, 1977. 

K. Saito, K. Nagashima, M. Aratani, I. Yamaji, T. Akai, and H. Funakubo, Proc. 12th ieee International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics (2000). 

FIGURE 27.1 Applications of ferroelectric thin films and their enabling properties. 

Applications of ferroelectric ceramics that directly utilize their ferroelectric properties have been reviewed. However, the two major applications of ferroelectric ceramics utilize the ferroelectric properties indirectly ... 

During the 1980s the development of ferroelectric liquid crystals continued at Bell Laboratories, and the above property-structure correlations suggested to us that, for the development of smectic C and smectic materials which would be suitable for use in applications of ferroelectric displays, it would not be wise to investigate 1-methylalkyl-substituted systems because of the... 

Wan S, Lynch CS (2001) Characterization of PZN single crystals. In Streiffer SK, Gibbons BJ, Tsurumi T (eds) Proceedings of the 2001 12th IEEE international symposium on applications of ferroelectrics, vols I and II, pp 347-349... 

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