Optically Induced Picosecond Lattice Compression in the Dielectric Component of a Strongly Coupled Ferroelectric/Dielectric Superlattice (Adv. Electron. Mater. 6/2022)

Abstract

Ultrafast Optical Excitation The structure of an epitaxial BaTiO3/CaTiO3 ferroelectric/dielectric superlattice responds to aboveband gap ultrafast optical excitation with a compression of the dielectric CaTiO3 layer is presented in article number 2101051 by Paul G. Evans and co-workers. This unusual response is a consequence of the screening of the polarizing field due to the ferroelectric BaTiO3 layer. The distortion is developed on the picosecond timescale and is apparent in ultrafast x-ray free-electron laser diffraction measurements.