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Phenomenological theory with nonlocal electrostatics for non-Ising polarization switching and domain walls in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3

Anton Talkachov* and Egor Babaev

  • *Contact author: anton.talkachov@gmail.com
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Phys. Rev. B 113, 064116 – Published 26 February, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/my4b-t3gv

Abstract

We develop the Ginzburg-Landau-Devonshire phenomenological model for trigonal ferroelectrics, which matches experimental values of the poling electric field for both near-stoichiometric and congruent compounds. The model favors a non-Ising type of polarization switching. Therefore, domain walls have nontrivial Néel and/or Bloch polarization components supported by numerical computations. Néel and/or Bloch polarization components are of the order from 1 to 10% of spontaneous polarization in the model. Numerically calculated optimal domain wall profile has bichiral Bloch behavior for near-stoichiometric LiTaO3 and LiNbO3 and congruent lithium niobate. The domain wall has a mixed Bloch-Néel type without including electrostatic interactions and has a Bloch character when nonlocal electrostatic interactions are accounted for in congruent lithium tantalate.

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Phys. Rev. B 113, 064116– Published 26 February, 2026
  • Received 23 June 2025
  • Revised 14 October 2025
  • Accepted 24 November 2025
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