Challenges in Ferroic and Multiferroic Materials

Call for Papers

Miniaturization of solid-state electronics is achieved by downscaling and multifunctionality. Ferroics and multiferroics (single-phase multiferroics or ferroic-based combinations of dissimilar materials) are among the most attractive multifunctional materials as one of the top ten in the coming years due to their significant properties (ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, or ferroelectric/ferromagnetic) and technological promises in novel devices.

Preparation of nanosized ferroic or single multiferroic structures with controlled geometries and ferroic/multiferroic-based nanocomposites requires innovative complex combined methods, whereas probing novel nanoscale phenomena imposes new or adjusted techniques. The preparation of such ferroic and multiferroic nanostructures or ferroic nanocomposites is itself a very challenging task.

Size phenomena in nanoferroics are of fundamental interest and limit device scalability. New properties are expected when reducing dimensions at the nanoscale. The problem of a critical size for ferroelectricity is still of debate, in spite of studies devoted to thickness/particle/grain size effects.

We invite authors to submit original and review articles on research and development of ferroic and multiferroic materials. These include nanoscale ferroics, single-phase multiferroics, ferroic-based composites obtained by novel synthesis methods and processing, nano/microstructural and phase/crystal structure characterization, functional properties, and modeling by multiscale techniques. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Synthesis, processing, and properties of ferroics. Design of nanostructure with various geometries. Materials: BaTiO₃- and (K,Na)NbO₃-based, (Bi,Na)TiO₃, (Ba,Bi)(Ti,Sc)O₃, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂, various ferrites, and so on
• Functional properties and role of nanostructured parameters on ferroics properties
• Synthesis and processing of single multiferroics (single crystals, nanopowders, dense ceramics, polycrystalline, and films). Materials: BiFeO₃, BiCrO₃, BiMnO₃, YMnO₃, EuTiO₃, RMn₂O₅ (R=Tb, Y, Eu, Gd), and so on
• Functional properties of multiferroics (dielectric, ferroelectric, transport, magnetic, magnetoelectric, piezoelectric, thermal, vibrational, elastic)
• Design and properties of ferroic-based multilayers. Composites on BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, PbZrTiO₃ ferroelectric perovskites combined with various magnetic counterparts: ferrites, manganites, Fe₂O₃

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/acmp/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Biljana D. Stojanovic, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1, Belgrade, Serbia

Guest Editors

• Liliana Mitoseriu, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Physics, Boulevard Carol I No. 11, Iasi, Romania
• Juras Banys, Vilnius University Faculty of Physics, Sauletekio 9, Vilnius, Lithuania
• Mario Maglione, ICMCB-CNRS, University of Bordeaux 1, 87 Avenue du Dr. A. Schweitzer, Pessac Cedex, France