Domains and ferroelectric switching pathways in Ca$_3$Ti$_2$O$_7$ from first principles

Abstract

Hybrid improper ferroelectricity, where an electrical polarization can be induced via a trilinear coupling to two non-polar structural distortions of different symmetry, has recently been experimentally demonstrated for the first time in the $n$=2 Ruddlesden-Popper compound Ca$_3$Ti$_2$O$_7$. In this paper we use group theoretic methods and first-principles calculations to identify possible ferroelectric switching pathways in Ca$_3$Ti$_2$O$_7$. We identify low-energy paths that reverse the polarization direction by switching via an orthorhombic twin domain, or via an antipolar structure. We also introduce a chemically intuitive set of local order parameters to give insight into how these paths are relevant to switching nucleated at domain walls. Our findings suggest that switching may proceed via more than one mechanism in this material.