Permittivity and remanent polarization contributions to the electrocaloric effect in (Ba, Sr)TiO3 under unipolar field

Abstract

The electrocaloric effect (ECE)-induced temperature change (ΔT) in (Ba, Sr)TiO3-based ferroelectrics under unipolar electric fields was analyzed from the separate contributions of the dielectric constant (ε) and remanent polarization (Pr) based on the Maxwell relation. Consideration of the contributions of both ε and Pr is particularly important in a unipolar electric field operation, such as on/off field switching used in device applications. Direct ΔT measurements were also performed based on the lock-in thermography technique to verify the accuracy of the ΔT intensity estimated by the indirect method. The indirect and direct ΔT values were largely consistent. The ΔT intensity near the peak temperature of ΔT was dominated by the Pr contribution; a large ∂Pr/∂T was necessary to increase the overall ΔT magnitude. In contrast, a large ∂ε/∂T was essential to expand the operating temperature range of ΔT at temperatures higher than the dielectric maximum temperature. Quantitative understanding of the contributions of both ε and Pr to ΔT in unipolar electric fields is expected to guide the search for materials with a superior ECE.