IMF2017

The main aspects of the nanodomain structure evolution in various uniaxial ferroelectrics have been reviewed. The most interesting scenarios of the domain kinetics important for micro- and nanodomain engineering and the variety of metastable nanodomain patterns appeared in highly non-equilibrium switching conditions have been classified and described systematically. All obtained results have been discussed in terms of the unified kinetic approach based on the analogy between domain structure evolution and the new phase growth during first-order phase transformation. In ferroelectrics the nucleation probabilities are determined by the local value of the sum of the external field produced by voltage applied to the electrodes, and partially screened depolarization field produced by bound charges. The bulk screening effect which allows stabilizing almost any tailored domain pattern is the basis of the domain engineering. The key role of the screening retardation in formation of self-assembled nanodomain structures has been demonstrated in various ferroelectrics. The experimental data obtained by modern experimental methods with high spatial and temporal resolution allowed studying the domain formation and growth with nanoscale resolution. The crucial role of screening effectiveness for domain shapes and scenarios of the sideways domain wall motion is demonstrated both experimentally and by computer simulation. It was demonstrated how the highly non-equilibrium switching conditions can be realized. The obtained fundamental results allowed to formulate the physical basis for rapidly developed modern fields of technology named micro- and nanodomain engineering and domain wall engineering. The recent achievements in creation of the short-pitch domain patterns have been reviewed.