Phase field simulations in ferroelectric materials

The hindering of domain wall movement by defects in ferroelectric materials is closely connected to electric fatigue. A movable domain wall in a ferroelectric material in most cases is modelled as a singular surface which allows the use of configurational forces. In contrast, the present approach treats the polarization as an order parameter, extending the total energy by a phase separation energy and a domain wall energy. The polarization then no longer has a discontinuity at the domain wall but is a continuous vector field (phase field). As an example, a numerical simulation of domain evolution under stress free boundary conditions is presented. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)