Atomistic simulations show that there are long-ranged ferroelectric interactions between the ferroelectric layers in ferroelectric/paraelectric superlattices mediated by continuous chains of polarization running through the intervening paraelectric layers. The resulting behavior of the superlattice is strongly dependent on the modulation length. At short modulation lengths the superlattice acts as a single-component system; at long modulation lengths the individual ferroelectric layers act almost independently.

• Received 1 May 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.64.060101