Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ferromagnetism01:31

Ferromagnetism

3.4K
Materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt consist of magnetic domains, within which the magnetic dipoles are arranged parallel to each other. The magnetic dipoles are rigidly aligned in the same direction within a domain by quantum mechanical coupling among the atoms. This coupling is so strong that even thermal agitation at room temperature cannot break it. The result is that each domain has a net dipole moment. However, some materials have weaker coupling, and are ferromagnetic at lower...
3.4K
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects01:26

Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects

62
Schottky defects arise when some lattice points in a crystal, such as those in NaCl, remain unoccupied, creating lattice vacancies without disturbing the overall electrical neutrality of the crystal. This defect is common in ionic crystals where the positive and negative ions are similar in size, as seen in sodium chloride and cesium chloride. The presence of Schottky defects enables the crystal to conduct electricity to a small extent through an ionic mechanism. Electric fields cause nearby...
62
Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations01:28

Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations

4.5K
Once the fields have been calculated using Maxwell's four equations, the Lorentz force equation gives the force that the fields exert on a charged particle moving with a certain velocity. The Lorentz force equation combines the force of the electric field and of the magnetic field on the moving charge. Maxwell's equations and the Lorentz force law together encompass all the laws of electricity and magnetism. The symmetry that Maxwell introduced into his mathematical framework may not be...
4.5K
Molecular and Ionic Solids02:54

Molecular and Ionic Solids

20.8K
Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
20.8K
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Non-Stoichiometric Defects01:29

Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Non-Stoichiometric Defects

50
Non-stoichiometric defects refer to a type of defect in the crystal structure of a compound where the ratio of its constituent elements deviates from the ideal stoichiometric ratio. There are two main types of non-stoichiometric defects: metal excess defects and metal deficiency defects.Metal excess defects occur when there is a slight surplus of metal ions than what is required by the stoichiometric ratio of the compound. For example, heating a sodium chloride crystal in sodium vapor results...
50
Valence Bond Theory02:42

Valence Bond Theory

11.6K
Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
11.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A mercury-based selenite with wide bandgap and moderate birefringence <i>via</i> cation substitution and partial fluorination.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2026
Same author

[Spatial variations of carbon stock in tidal flat sediments of Zhoushan Archipelago].

Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology·2026
Same author

Hoxb4 upregulation by Xuan Bi Tong Yu Fang confers cardioprotection via repression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Frontiers in immunology·2026
Same author

Short-term sleep benefits <i>versus</i> long-term pulmonary risks: an updated meta-analysis of benzodiazepine receptor positive allosteric modulators in COPD patients with comorbid insomnia.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2026
Same author

Sex- and adipose depot-specific glucose metabolism following carbohydrate-enriched diets consumption with (un)interrupted prolonged sitting.

Nutrition & diabetes·2026
Same author

[Effect of light quality on secondary metabolite accumulation in seedling-stage of Pseudostellaria heterophylla and its metabolomic analysis].

Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
09:06

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Published on: March 24, 2019

8.7K

Symmetry breaking in molecular ferroelectrics.

Ping-Ping Shi1, Yuan-Yuan Tang1, Peng-Fei Li1

  • 1Ordered Matter Science Research Center, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, P. R. China. xiongrg@seu.edu.cn.

Chemical Society Reviews
|April 7, 2016
PubMed
Summary

This review explores molecular ferroelectrics, focusing on how symmetry breaking drives ferroelectricity. It highlights recent advances and suggests strategies for developing high-performance materials.

More Related Videos

Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals
07:03

Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals

Published on: August 15, 2018

9.3K
Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
09:41

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides

Published on: May 29, 2018

10.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
09:06

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Published on: March 24, 2019

8.7K
Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals
07:03

Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals

Published on: August 15, 2018

9.3K
Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
09:41

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides

Published on: May 29, 2018

10.1K

Area of Science:

  • Solid State Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Ferroelectricity is fundamentally linked to symmetry breaking during phase transitions.
  • The transition from a paraelectric to a ferroelectric phase involves a reduction in crystallographic point group symmetry.
  • Spontaneous polarization serves as the order parameter, characterizing ferroelectric behavior and hysteresis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in molecular ferroelectrics since 2011.
  • To elucidate the critical relationship between symmetry breaking and ferroelectricity in molecular systems.
  • To provide insights for the design of high-performance molecular ferroelectrics.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of developments in molecular ferroelectrics.
  • Analysis of the role of symmetry breaking in ferroelectric phenomena.
  • Discussion of physical effects related to spontaneous polarization.

Main Results:

  • Ferroelectric materials exhibit symmetry breaking from higher to lower point groups (e.g., 32 to 10 ferroelectric groups).
  • Spontaneous polarization switching under electric fields creates characteristic ferroelectric hysteresis loops.
  • Various physical effects like piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity are consequences of spontaneous polarization.

Conclusions:

  • Symmetry breaking is a key mechanism enabling ferroelectricity in molecular materials.
  • Understanding this relationship is crucial for advancing molecular ferroelectric research.
  • Future research should focus on designing materials with enhanced ferroelectric properties through controlled symmetry breaking.