[32] Collective coherent control: Synchronization of polarization in ferroelectric PbTiO₃ by shaped THz fields

We show that properly shaped terahertz (THz) fields can be used to move ions in ferroelectric crystals from their positions in an initial domain orientation along well-defined collective microscopic paths into the positions they occupy in a new domain orientation. Collective coherent control will enable direct observation of fast highly nonlinear material responses and far-from-equilibrium structures that can be harnessed in electro-optic devices and nonvolatile computer memory.