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Ferroelectric quantum criticality

Nature Physics volume 10, pages 367–372 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Paramagnets on the border of ferromagnetism at low temperatures are more subtle and complex than anticipated by the conventional theory of quantum critical phenomena. Could quantum criticality theory be more relevant in the corresponding case of quantum paraelectrics on the border of ferroelectricity? To address this question we have investigated the temperature dependence of the dielectric function of the displacive quantum paraelectrics SrTiO3, oxygen-18 substituted SrTiO3 and KTaO3. In all of these materials on the border of ferroelectricity we observe non-classical T2 temperature dependencies of the inverse dielectric function below 50 K, followed by anomalous upturns below a few kelvin extending into the millikelvin range. This non-classical behaviour can be understood quantitatively without adjustable parameters in terms of quantum criticality theory when extended to include the effects of long-range dipolar interactions and the coupling of the electric polarization field with acoustic phonons. The quantum critical regime in displacive ferroelectrics is thus strikingly different from that in the better-known ferromagnetic counterparts and offers unexpected prospects in the field of quantum phase transitions.

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Figure 1: Temperature–magnetic field–density phase diagram on the border of metallic ferromagnetism.
Figure 2: Temperature dependence of the inverse dielectric function 1/ɛ(T) in SrTiO3.
Figure 3: Temperature dependence of the inverse dielectric function 1/ɛ(T) in KTaO3.
Figure 4: Phase diagram for a displacive ferroelectric.
Figure 5: Temperature dependence of the inverse dielectric function 1/ɛ(T) in SrTi(18Ox16O1− x)3.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank M. A. Carpenter, G. Catalan, P. Chandra, G. Chapline, S. J. Chorley, P. Coleman, G. Conduit, J. P. Griffiths, M. Grosche, C. R. S. Haines, D. E. Khmelnitskii, K. H. Kim, P. B. Littlewood, C. Liu, N. Marcano, N. D. Mathur, N. P. Ong, L. Pálová, C. Panagopoulos, E. Saitovitch, B. D. Simons, D. J. Singh and I. R. Walker for their help and discussions. We would also like to acknowledge support from Emmanuel, Jesus and Trinity colleges of the University of Cambridge, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grant EP/K012894/1), the European Research Council (ESF) COST P16, the Princeton Center for Complex Materials, IHT KAZATAPROM and the INTELBIOMAT programme.

Author information

Author notes

  1. L. J. Spalek

    Present address: Current address: Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland.,

  2. M. P. M. Dean

    Present address: Current address: Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, 11973, USA.,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK,

    S. E. Rowley, L. J. Spalek, R. P. Smith, M. P. M. Dean, J. F. Scott, G. G. Lonzarich & S. S. Saxena

  2. Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA

    S. E. Rowley

  3. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, Rua Dr Xavier Sigaud 150 Rio de Janeiro, 22290-180, Brazil,

    S. E. Rowley

  4. Materials & Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan

    M. Itoh

  5. Centre for High Technologies, 3a, University Street, Olmazor District Tashkent, 100174, Uzbekistan,

    S. S. Saxena

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The findings presented in this paper arose out of a cooperative effort of all the authors, who each played an essential role.

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Correspondence to S. E. Rowley, G. G. Lonzarich or S. S. Saxena.

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Rowley, S., Spalek, L., Smith, R. et al. Ferroelectric quantum criticality. Nature Phys 10, 367–372 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys2924

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