Potts-Ising model for simulation of polarization switching in polycrystalline ferroelectrics

This paper proposes a scheme based on the Potts and Ising models for simulating polarization switching of polycrystalline ferroelectrics using the Monte Carlo method. The polycrystalline texture with different average grain size is produced from the Potts model. Then Ising model is implemented in the polycrystalline texture to produce the domain pattern and hysteresis loop. The domain patterns and hysteresis loops have been obtained for polycrystalline texture with different average grain size. From the results of domain pattern evolution process under an applied electric field using this scheme, an extended domain, which covers more than one grain with polarization aligned roughly in the same direction, has been observed during the polarization reversal. This scheme can well reproduce the basic properties of polycrystalline ferroelectrics and is a valuable tool for exploring the physical properties of polycrystalline ferroelectrics.