| Abstract Scope |
The rational design and control of defects in electronic ceramics is critical to property control and optimization. Point defects, in particular, influence properties such as conductivity, electric polarization and, as most recently discovered, the ability to switch polarization to enable ferroelectricity. Moreover, in real materials, the interactions of point defects with higher dimensional defects, such as grain boundaries and interfaces, can influence or even dictate the macroscopic material response. In device applications, point defect interactions with external fields also influence material performance and, in some cases, instigate material degradation and failure. This lecture will review developments in studying point defect disorder and defect dynamics in electronic ceramics. It will highlight the role of transmission electron microscopy techniques for assessing local to meso-scale disorder in complex electronic ceramics and for studying the kinetic response of defects to applied electric fields. |