Antiferroelectric behavior in symmetric KNbO3/KTaO3 superlattices -: art. no. 097601

Antiferroelectric behavior is observed in artificially layered KTaO3/KNbO3 perovskite superlattices. While KTaO3 and KNbO3 are ferroelectric and paraelectric, respectively, the superlattice appears antiferroelectric based on an increase in the dielectric constant with applied dc bias. This dielectric behavior is inconsistent with the nonlinear response for either paraelectric or ferroelectric materials. However, an increase in the dielectric constant with applied electric field is consistent with antiferroelectric behavior. The antiferroelectric ordering appears to be induced by cation modulation imposed by the superlattice.