Dynamic control of ferroic domain patterns by thermal quenching

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Thermodynamics

Background:

• Controlling ferroic domain structures is crucial for device functionality.
• Traditional methods use quasi-static electric or magnetic fields.
• Metallurgy uses rapid thermal quenches to alter domain patterns, a technique underexplored in ferroics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of rapid thermal quenches for controlling ferroic domain patterns.
• To explore nonequilibrium approaches for manipulating ferroic materials.
• To understand the dynamics of domain evolution during thermal quenching.

Main Methods:

• Applied rapid thermal quenches across phase transitions in a rare-earth orthoferrite.
• Varied cooling rates to trigger transitions between ferroic phases.
• Utilized real-time imaging to observe transient domain evolution during quenching.

Main Results:

• Achieved control over ferroic domain patterns by tuning quench rates.
• Created intrinsic low-temperature domain structures and metastable high-temperature patterns.
• Observed distinct timescales of domain fragmentation and relaxation during quenching.

Conclusions:

• Thermal quenches offer a dynamic, nonequilibrium method to control ferroic domain configurations.
• This approach enables access to metastable domain states not achievable at equilibrium.
• The findings present a novel strategy for manipulating ferroic order and material properties.