➀ Researchers from Rice University studied relaxor ferroelectric materials, finding that their fundamental properties change unexpectedly when reduced to thin films at a scale comparable to their internal polarization structures;

➁ The study focused on lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT), a widely used ceramic material, and observed an unexpected effect: the material exhibits enhanced performance before losing its unique properties;

➂ The research could inform the development of next-generation nanoelectronic devices and has potential applications in low-voltage magnetoelectrics, pyroelectric energy conversion, capacitive energy storage, and nanoelectromechanical systems.