Imaging of nanoscale polar textures in quantum paraelectric SrTiO3
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- nature.comseen 8 Aug, 16:36description edited
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When cooling towards a ferroelectric phase transition, collective atomic motions (phonons) slow down (soften) until a static atomic displacement pattern forms, giving rise to spontaneous polarization throughout the material1. However, in quantum paraelectrics such as strontium titanate (SrTiO3), long-range ferroelectric order does not develop at low temperatures due to persistent quantum fluctuations of ionic positions2,3. In SrTiO3, quantum paraelectricity emerges below Tq ≈ 40 K refs. 4–6 and...Cryo-STEM reveals that SrTiO3 forms periodic polar nanodomains below 105 K, but these fragment below 40 K, linking quantum paraelectricity to nanoscale polar ordering and disordering.
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Wed, 22 July 2026
1 report- nature.com00:00first to reportedited after publishing
Cryo-STEM reveals that SrTiO3 forms periodic polar nanodomains below 105 K, but these fragment below 40 K, linking quantum paraelectricity to nanoscale polar ordering and disordering.