The Fundamental Physics of Ferroelectrics and Related Materials workshop has been held every year since February 1990. The workshop brings together a diverse set of researchers, both theorists and experimentalist, from around the world in order to facilitate the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. Ferroelectricity is a complex phenomenon, usually, driven by phonon instabilities that give rise to a spontaneous polarization which may exhibit temperature dependent couplings with lattice strains, strain-gradients, and magnetism leading to a wide range of materials such as electrostrictive materials, piezoelectrics, multiferroics, electrocaloric materials and flexoelectrics to name a few. These interactions are strongly affected by external electric/magnetic fields. Understanding the interplay between these different complex interactions that govern material property and its response to fields has been a monumental challenge that has required the combined efforts of theorists and experimentalist in the research community. This workshop series has played a pivotal role in bringing together researchers from different parts of the world, fostering the multi-institutional collaborations necessary for the comprehensive studies devoted to understanding the fundamental physics of this complex phenomenon. At these meetings new advances in experimental and theoretical techniques are also presented. The culture fostered by the regular attendees of this meeting encourages scientific discussions which extend into the breaks and dining periods.

This year the workshop will focus on the following: Multiferroics, Ferroelectrics, Relaxors, Theory and Modeling, Characterization Methods, Domains and Nanostructure, Interfaces and Surfaces, Non-oxide Ferroelectrics, Material Synthesis and Growth, and Phase Transformations.

Confirmed Invited Speakers

Brahim Dkhil - CNRS, France
Jirka Hlinka - Acad. Sci. Czech Republic, Czech Republic
Jiawang Hong - ORNL, U.S.A.
James Scott - Cambridge University, U. K.
Guangyong Xu - BNL, U.S.A.
Chi-Shun Tu - Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan
Anna Kimmel - NPL, U.K.
Gustau Catalan - ICREA, Spain
Puru Jena - Univ. of Virginia, U.S.A
Giovanni Pizzi - EPFL, Switzerland
Albina Borisevich - ORNL, USA
Jan Musfeldt - Univ. of Tenn., USA
Laurent Bellaiche – Univ. of Arkansas, USA
Paolo Barone - CNR-SPIN, Italy
Hans Christen - ORNL, USA

We thank our sponsors:

Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences Materials Science and Technology Division University of Tennessee UT-Battelle