{"paper":{"title":"Unified definition of ferroelectricity","license":"http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/","headline":"A unified definition of ferroelectricity uses switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states to cover both conventional and quantum cases.","cross_cats":["cond-mat.mes-hall","physics.comp-ph"],"primary_cat":"cond-mat.mtrl-sci","authors_text":"Hongjun Xiang, Laurent Bellaiche, Shihan Deng, Wei Luo","submitted_at":"2026-05-14T03:45:08Z","abstract_excerpt":"Recent theoretical and experimental advances in quantum ferroelectrics suggest that ferroelectricity can also emerge in non-polar space group, highlighting the limitations of conventional polar space group criteria in identifying ferroelectric materials. Here, we introduce a unified definition based on switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states, which naturally encompasses conventional and quantum ferroelectrics. Guided by this principle, we implement a high-throughput screening strategy that systematically identifies both conventional and quantum ferroelectric"},"claims":{"count":4,"items":[{"kind":"strongest_claim","text":"we introduce a unified definition based on switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states, which naturally encompasses conventional and quantum ferroelectrics... we identify a new type of quantum ferroelectric in which the quantized polarization arises from arbitrary ionic displacements","source":"verdict.strongest_claim","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C1","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"weakest_assumption","text":"That the identified states are truly energetically equivalent and that the polarization difference is experimentally switchable without additional hidden barriers or instabilities not captured in the high-throughput screening.","source":"verdict.weakest_assumption","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C2","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"one_line_summary","text":"A new definition of ferroelectricity via switchable polarization differences unifies conventional and quantum cases and identifies viable new materials such as Ba3I6 and Cs2PdC2 with low switching barriers.","source":"verdict.one_line_summary","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C3","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"headline","text":"A unified definition of ferroelectricity uses switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states to cover both conventional and quantum cases.","source":"verdict.pith_extraction.headline","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C4","attestation":"unclaimed"}],"snapshot_sha256":"67ee3a6810b0317a9b57f79c75fa4d5645bdcead104cf623543686543f6120e4"},"source":{"id":"2605.14328","kind":"arxiv","version":1},"verdict":{"id":"8bbe2045-590d-4bbd-ae70-f8175a68615f","model_set":{"reader":"grok-4.3"},"created_at":"2026-05-15T02:25:27.590727Z","strongest_claim":"we introduce a unified definition based on switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states, which naturally encompasses conventional and quantum ferroelectrics... we identify a new type of quantum ferroelectric in which the quantized polarization arises from arbitrary ionic displacements","one_line_summary":"A new definition of ferroelectricity via switchable polarization differences unifies conventional and quantum cases and identifies viable new materials such as Ba3I6 and Cs2PdC2 with low switching barriers.","pipeline_version":"pith-pipeline@v0.9.0","weakest_assumption":"That the identified states are truly energetically equivalent and that the polarization difference is experimentally switchable without additional hidden barriers or instabilities not captured in the high-throughput screening.","pith_extraction_headline":"A unified definition of ferroelectricity uses switchable polarization differences between energetically equivalent states to cover both conventional and quantum cases."},"references":{"count":1,"sample":[{"doi":"","year":2001,"title":"dipole locking","work_id":"9e18b453-1863-46f5-8629-a3510b94ae29","ref_index":1,"cited_arxiv_id":"","is_internal_anchor":false}],"resolved_work":1,"snapshot_sha256":"bc32e1506cc6a49bbdc46064e3b064376bd959542213e76f88d5441b1cf59a14","internal_anchors":0},"formal_canon":{"evidence_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"author_claims":{"count":0,"strong_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"builder_version":"pith-number-builder-2026-05-17-v1"}