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Dynamics of polarization vortices revealed in a ferroelectric material

Vortices of electrical polarization have been observed to vibrate at extremely high frequencies in a material called a ferroelectric. Such motion could be directly controlled by electric fields for ultrafast data processing.
  1. Igor Luk’yanchuk

    1. Igor Luk’yanchuk is at the Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Picardie, Amiens 80039, France, and in the Faculty of Physics, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

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  2. Valerii M. Vinokur

    1. Valerii M. Vinokur is at Terra Quantum AG, Rorschach 9400, Switzerland.

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The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus viewed swirling vortices of matter, along with atoms, as fundamental components of the Universe. Nowadays, vortices are seen at all scales — from spiral galaxies and whirlpools to microscopic examples in superconductors and quantum fluids. Moreover, vortices have been found to greatly affect the properties of many materials, including superconductors, ferromagnets (materials exhibiting the familiar form of magnetism found in iron) and ferroelectrics (the electrical counterparts of ferromagnets). In a paper in Nature, Li et al.1 report that vortices of electrical polarization in ferroelectrics can vibrate at terahertz-level frequencies (1 THz is 1012 Hz). The collective dynamics of such vortices potentially offer a platform for ultrafast data processing driven by electric fields.

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Nature 592, 359-360 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00887-2

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