Ferroelectricity in solid state chemistry

This article discusses some state-of-the-art aspects of solid state chemistry within the context of ferroelectric materials such as oxides, fluorides and oxyfluorides, whose crystalline networks include octahedra. Structural considerations make it possible to determine the origin of the ferroelectricity and to predict the existence of polar properties in new families. Crystallographic distortions of different nature lead to highly variable transition sequences. Ferroelectricity is often associated with ferroelasticity. The Curie temperature is linked to the composition and to the chemical bond, In this respect, several factors are to be considered, e.g, size, coordination and configuration of the cations, covalence of bunds, order-disorder, etc. Physical studies are very useful: first, the dielectric characteristics and their variations with temperature, frequency and electric field are typical of ferroelectrics; second, the pyroelectric, piezoelectric, electro-optical and non-linear optical properties are among the most effective. Various types of materials (single crystals, ceramics, thin films) are used nowadays in a wide range of applications. (C) 2000 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques ct medicales Elsevier SAS.