The ?eld of ferroelectricity is a very active one. Many hundreds of papers in this ?eld are published each year and a large number of local and international conferences are held. We felt that it wouldbeappropriate at this time to publish a set of papers in a single journal describing some of the most active areas in the ?eld. The Journal of Materials Science agreed to publish a special issue on ferroelectricity. Accordingly, we sent requests for papers to a number of research groups around the world. It was diff?culttoselect a small number of groups from among the many excellent ones in the...

This book presents theory, fundamentals and applications of ferroelectricy. 24 chapters gather reviews and research reports covering the spectrum of ferroelectricity. It describes the current levels of understanding of various aspects of ferroelectricity as presented by authorities in the field. Topics include relaxors, piezoelectrics, microscale and nanoscale studies, polymers and composites, unusual properties, and techniques and devices. The book is intended for physicists, engineers and materials scientists working with ferroelectric materials.