Quantum ferroelectricity in charge-transfer complex crystals.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 26076656.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms8469 and PMC identifier 4490386.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Quantum phase transition achieved by fine tuning the continuous phase transition down to zero kelvin is a challenge for solid state science. Critical phenomena distinct from the effects of thermal fluctuations can materialize when the electronic, structural or magnetic long-range order is perturbed by quantum fluctuations between degenerate ground states. Here we have developed chemically pure tetrahalo-p-benzoquinones of n iodine and 4-n bromine substituents (QBr4-nIn, n=0-4) to search for ferroelectric charge-transfer complexes with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). Among them, TTF-QBr2I2 exhibits a ferroelectric neutral-ionic phase transition, which is continuously controlled over a wide temperature range from near-zero kelvin to room temperature under hydrostatic pressure. Quantum critical behaviour is accompanied by a much larger permittivity than those of other neutral-ionic transition compounds, such as well-known ferroelectric complex of TTF-QCl4 and quantum antiferroelectric of dimethyl-TTF-QBr4. By contrast, TTF-QBr3I complex, another member of this compound family, shows complete suppression of the ferroelectric spin-Peierls-type phase transition.