ABSTRACT
There has been much excitement during the last decade regarding ferroelectric and multiferroic materials because of their interesting properties that can be controlled by the application of electric or magnetic fields. Ferroelectric materials are insulating materials that can exist in two or more stable polarization states. They have spontaneous polarization that can be reversed by the application of an electric field. Out of 32 point groups, only 10 groups with a unique polar axis can demonstrate spontaneous polarization. Above a certain temperature, known as the ferroelectric Curie temperature, the material loses spontaneous polarization and becomes paraelectric. In general, at Curie temperature, there is a structural change signaling a first-order phase transition, although there are some exceptions. Owing to their interesting properties, ferroelectric materials find applications in various devices such as transducers, actuators, and nonvolatile ferroelectric memories.
