The origins of electromechanical indentation size effect in
ferroelectrics The attached paper was recently accepted for
publicaiton in Applied Physics Letters. Here we try to speculate
on the origins of a type of electromechanical indentation size-
effect. Although we have decent supporting evidence, I think
that our assertions are still on the speculative side and hope
that future experiments can shed further light on this.
Abstract: Metals exhibit a size-dependent hardening when subject
to indentation. Mechanisms for this phenomenon have been
intensely researched in recent times. Does such a size-effect
also exist in the electromechanical behavior of ferroelectrics?
---if yes, what are the operative mechanisms? Our experiments on
BaTiO3 indeed suggest an elastic electromechanical sizeeffect.
We argue, through theoretical calculations and differential
experiments on another nonferroelectric piezoelectric (Quartz),
that the phenomenon of flexoelectricity (as opposed to
dislocation activity) is most likely respo