Two-dimensional ferroelectrics and homogeneous switching. On the 75th anniversary of the Landau–Ginzburg theory of ferroelectricity

Abstract

Abstract Within the framework of the Landau–Ginzburg (LG) theory, the kinetics of polarization switching in ferroelectric crystals and the transition from domain switching to homogeneous switching in nanosized single-crystal films are considered. It is shown that homogeneous (nondomain) switching can be described in LG theory terms only for two-dimensional ferroelectrics. A review of the experimental results for two-dimensional films of a ferroelectric polymer and barium titanate is given. For ultrathin polymer films, these results are also confirmed by first principles calculations.