High-temperature memory in multiferroic cobalt-bromine boracite

The observation of the domain dynamics of the ferroelectric-ferroelastic domains near the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition is reported. The study was performed by means of high-temperature polarized light microscopy. Close to the phase transition an increase in the number of domain walls was observed. After several heating-cooling cycles around the transition temperature, a memory domain microstructure at high temperature was observed. The possible physical mechanisms responsible for the high-temperature domain dynamics are discussed. Using a complex systems approach the complexity of the domain behavior is characterized