Scaling Behaviour and Beyond Equilibrium in the Hexagonal Manganites


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Date

2012

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Abstract

We show that the improper ferroelectric phase transition in the multiferroic hexagonal manganites displays appropriate symmetry-breaking characteristics for testing the Kibble-Zurek mechanism originally proposed to describe early-universe phase transitions. We present an analysis of the Kibble-Zurek theory of topological defect formation applied to the hexagonal manganites, discuss the conditions determining the range of cooling rates in which Kibble-Zurek behavior is expected, and show that recent literature data are consistent with our predictions. Finally, we explore experimentally the crossover out of the Kibble-Zurek regime and find a surprising reversal of the scaling behavior.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

2 (4)

Pages / Article No.

41022

Publisher

American Physical Society

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Edition / version

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Organisational unit

03903 - Spaldin, Nicola A. / Spaldin, Nicola A. check_circle
03918 - Fiebig, Manfred / Fiebig, Manfred check_circle

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