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Twin boundary profiles with linear-quadratic coupling between order parameters.


Type

Article

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Authors

Pöttker, Henning 
Salje, Ekhard KH 

Abstract

A new type of twin boundary was found when two order parameters interact by linear-quadratic coupling QP(2). In this solution, we find that a domain wall consists of two layers in which in one layer both order parameters Q and P are active while in the second layer only Q is active. The adjacent domains are equally asymmetric (Q, P) and (Q, 0) so that one phase could be polar and/or magnetic and contain a ferroelastic strain while the second layer is ferroelastic only without polar or magnetic properties. The two layers represent a stepwise transition between the two domains.We analyze the full phase diagram depending on the coupling constant and anisotropy of the gradient term, and show that in a certain regime the order parameter Q becomes activated only in the interfacial region. A common solution contains kinks and breathers whereby the width of the interface can be very wide in agreement with the first order character of the transition.

Description

Keywords

domain boundaries, order parameter coupling, twin wall, multiferroic, Landau Ginzburg theory, microstructure

Journal Title

J Phys Condens Matter

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0953-8984
1361-648X

Volume Title

26

Publisher

IOP Publishing
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K009702/1)
HP is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) via SFB 1060 – The Mathematics of Emergent Effects. EKHS thanks the Leverhulme foundation (RG66640) and EPSRC (RG66344) for financial support.