Phys.org May 10, 2022
Ferroelectric materials exhibit ferroelectricity and the ability to polarize spontaneously. Typically, researchers can manipulate and reverse the polarization by the application of an external electric field. Ultrafast interactions between light and matter are another promising route for controlling ferroelectric polarization, but until now researchers have struggled to achieve a light-induced, deterministic control of such polarization. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Arkansas, France, Luxembourg) discovered a so-called “squeezing effect” in ferroelectric materials subject to femtosecond laser pulses. These pulses destroyed the polarization component that is parallel to the field’s direction and created polarization components perpendicular to it. The squeezing effect allowed a deterministic control of the polarization by light. The work is an important step toward the design and development of superior sensing and data storage in electronic devices. It enriches fundamental physics research by advancing an understanding of the interactions between light and matter…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Squeezing effect in T-phase. Credit: Nature Communications volume 13, Article number: 2566 (2022)