Tutorial EL12—Imaging and Modeling Ferroic Nanomaterials

Instructors:  Massimo Ghidini, Universitá degli Studi Parma; Diamond Light Source; University of Cambridge; Jiamian Hu, University of Wisconsin Madison

In the field of ferroic materials, the synergy between powerful computational methods and high-resolution imaging techniques holds great promise for providing key mechanistic insights, and therefore for becoming more and more influential in establishing new materials functionalities. 

In this half-day tutorial, comprising two lectures of 90 minutes each, we will explore the research potential of combining phase-field modeling and high-resolution imaging techniques for the study of ferroic materials, with particular emphasis on nanomaterials.

1:30 pm
Principles of X-Ray PhotoEmission Electron Microscopy (XPEEM)
Massimo Ghidini, University of Parma; Diamond Light Source; University of Cambridge

The instructor will cover  how to image ferroelectric and ferromagnetic domains and figure out the orientation of polarization and magnetization; how to analyze XPEEM data, how to how to build 2D vector maps of magnetization; the challenge of reconstructing 3D spin textures in 3D nano-objects; and advantages and limitations of XPEEM compared to scanning probe techniques such as Magnetic and Piezoresponse Force Microscopy.

3:00 pm BREAK

3:30 pm
Phase Field
Jiamian Hu, University of Wisconsin–Madison

The instructor will cover what is phase field and what are its strength and limitation of this method; the key steps of building a phase-field model for ferroic materials, notably, how to properly set up boundary conditions for different ferroic materials (bulk, thin-film, membrane, nanostructures); challenges for modeling ferroic materials with a phase-field method; and complementarity of phase-field modeling with lattice-based atomistic modeling methods for ferroic materials modeling (such as atomistic spin dynamics modeling and second-principles simulations of polarization pattern).