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Complex perovskite oxides exhibit a rich spectrum of
functional responses, including magnetism, ferroelectricity, highly correlated
electron behavior, superconductivity, etc. The basic materials physics of such materials provide
the ideal playground for interdisciplinary scientific exploration. Over the past decade we have been
exploring the science of such materials (for example, colossal
magnetoresistance, ferroelectricity, etc) in thin film form by creating
epitaxial heterostructures and nanostructures. Among the large number of materials systems, there exists a
small set of materials which exhibit multiple order parameters; these are known
as multiferroics. Using our work
in the field of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic oxides as the background, we are
now exploring such materials, as epitaxial thin films as well as nanostructures
under the auspicies of the Quantum Materials program. Specifically, we are studying the role of thin film growth,
heteroepitaxy and processing on the basic properties as well as magnitude of
the coupling between the order parameters. In this talk I will describe to you
some aspects of such materials as well as the scientific and technological
excitement in this field. |