A popular review of spontaneously electric materials was recently published in Aktuel Naturvidenskab. The article describes how spontaneous electric fields arise in thin films of ices, and how these fields can be used to understand the behaviour of these solids.

Authors David Field and Andrew Cassidy.

Image credit Catherine Williams @cjaw_art

When dipolar molecules condense to form a thin ice, the molecular dipoles can spontaneously orient to generate an electrically polarized film. This phenomenon has been called the “spontelectric effect”. In this accessibly-written article, we examine how the spontelectric effect can be used to understand the structure and dynamics of molecular ices.  

https://aktuelnaturvidenskab.dk/find-artikel/nyeste-numre/4-2022/spontane-elektriske-felter