Researchers have measured how the atoms within electrically insulating solids reorient due to an applied electric field. Shown here for Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3, bismuth ions (purple) align along the electric field direction relative to their surrounding titanium ions (blue). Oxygen ions not shown.

To read the press release about this discovery in NC State News visit:  NC STATE NEWS

To read the article titled “Electric-field-induced local and mesoscale structural changes in polycrystalline dielectrics and ferroelectrics” written by Tedi-Marie Usher, Igor Levin, John E. Daniels and Jacob Jones in nature.com’s Scientific Reports visit: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS