Computer Simulation of the Dynamics of 180° Ferroelectric Domains

A computer simulation technique based on the time- dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equations formulated in the reciprocal space was proposed for modeling the dynamics of ferroelectric domain formation and domainwall motion. The temporal evolution of domain structures with 180° domain walls in a quenched paraelectric phase was studied. Both the long-range electric dipole-dipole interaction energy and the total domain wall energy for any arbitrary distributions of ferroelectric domains were evaluated in the reciprocal space. The effect of free surfaces on the polarization and domain morphologies was discussed. The domain-wall motion under an electric field was investigated.