Atomic-scale mechanisms of ferroelastic domain-wall-mediated ferroelectric switching. Gao, P., Britson, J., Jokisaari, J. R., Nelson, C. T., Baek, S., Wang, Y., Eom, C., Chen, L., & Pan, X. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, NOV, 2013.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
Polarization switching in ferroelectric thin films occurs via nucleation and growth of 180 degrees domains through a highly inhomogeneous process in which the kinetics are largely controlled by defects, interfaces and pre-existing domain walls. Here we present the first real-time, atomic-scale observations and phase-field simulations of domain switching dominated by pre-existing, but immobile, ferroelastic domains in Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3 thin films. Our observations reveal a novel hindering effect, which occurs via the formation of a transient layer with a thickness of several unit cells at an otherwise charged interface between a ferroelastic domain and a switched domain. This transient layer possesses a low-magnitude polarization, with a dipole glass structure, resembling the dead layer. The present study provides an atomic level explanation of the hindering of ferroelectric domain motion by ferroelastic domains. Hindering can be overcome either by applying a higher bias or by removing the as-grown ferroelastic domains in fabricated nanostructures.
@article{ ISI:000328025000006,
Author = {Gao, Peng and Britson, Jason and Jokisaari, Jacob R. and Nelson,
   Christopher T. and Baek, Seung-Hyub and Wang, Yiran and Eom, Chang-Beom
   and Chen, Long-Qing and Pan, Xiaoqing},
Title = {{Atomic-scale mechanisms of ferroelastic domain-wall-mediated
   ferroelectric switching}},
Journal = {{NATURE COMMUNICATIONS}},
Year = {{2013}},
Volume = {{4}},
Month = {{NOV}},
Abstract = {{Polarization switching in ferroelectric thin films occurs via nucleation
   and growth of 180 degrees domains through a highly inhomogeneous process
   in which the kinetics are largely controlled by defects, interfaces and
   pre-existing domain walls. Here we present the first real-time,
   atomic-scale observations and phase-field simulations of domain
   switching dominated by pre-existing, but immobile, ferroelastic domains
   in Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3 thin films. Our observations reveal a novel
   hindering effect, which occurs via the formation of a transient layer
   with a thickness of several unit cells at an otherwise charged interface
   between a ferroelastic domain and a switched domain. This transient
   layer possesses a low-magnitude polarization, with a dipole glass
   structure, resembling the dead layer. The present study provides an
   atomic level explanation of the hindering of ferroelectric domain motion
   by ferroelastic domains. Hindering can be overcome either by applying a
   higher bias or by removing the as-grown ferroelastic domains in
   fabricated nanostructures.}},
DOI = {{10.1038/ncomms3791}},
Article-Number = {{2791}},
ISSN = {{2041-1723}},
ResearcherID-Numbers = {{Gao, Peng/B-4675-2012
   Chen, LongQing/I-7536-2012
   Foundry, Molecular/G-9968-2014
   Eom, Chang-Beom/I-5567-2014
   Baek, Seung-Hyub/B-9189-2013
   }},
ORCID-Numbers = {{Chen, LongQing/0000-0003-3359-3781
   Baek, Seung-Hyub/0000-0002-3187-6596}},
Unique-ID = {{ISI:000328025000006}},
}

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