Domain wall creep in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr(0.2)Ti(0.08)O(3) thin films

Ferroelectric switching and nanoscale domain dynamics were investigated using atomic force microscopy on monocrystalline Pb(Zr(0.2)Ti(0.8))O(3) thin films. Measurements of domain size versus writing time reveal a two-step domain growth mechanism, in which initial nucleation is followed by radial domain wall motion perpendicular to the polarization direction. The electric field dependence of the domain wall velocity demonstrates that domain wall motion in ferroelectric thin films is a creep process, with the critical exponent mu close to 1. The dimensionality of the films suggests that disorder is at the origin of the observed creep behavior.     

Nanosecond dynamics of ferroelectric/dielectric superlattices

The nanosecond response of a PbTiO(3)/SrTiO(3) ferroelectric/dielectric superlattice to applied electric fields is closely linked to the dynamics of striped domains of the remnant polarization. The intensity of domain satellite reflections observed with time-resolved x-ray microdiffraction decays in 5-100 ns depending on the magnitude of the electric field. The piezoelectric response of the superlattice within stripe domains is strongly suppressed due to electromechanical clamping between adjacent regions of opposite polarization. Regions of the superlattice that have been switched into a uniform polarization state by the applied electric field, however, exhibit piezoelectricity during the course of the switching process. We propose a switching model different from previous models of the switching of superlattices, based instead on a spatially heterogeneous transformation between striped and uniform polarization states.     

Abnormal polarization enhancement effects of P(VDF-TrFE) films during fatigue process

The effects of alternating electric field on the fatigue behaviors of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer films were investigated. The value of the remanent polarization (Pr) reached a maximum with the increase of cycle number of alternating electric filed, and then decreased as observed from the curve of polarization vs. switching cycles. It was found that the maximum point is associated with the frequency of alternating electric field. Dual effects, i.e., polarization enhancement and degradation, were supposed to coexist during the process of fatigue. A model considering the two effects was proposed to describe the fatigue behaviors, and the simulated data fit well with the experimental data.     

Distinct ferroelectric domain switching dynamics in epitaxial BiFeO3 (001) capacitors depending on the bias polarity

Understanding ferroelectric domain switching dynamics at the nanoscale is a great of importance in the viewpoints of fundamental physics and technological applications. Here, we investigated the intriguing polarity-dependent switching dynamics of ferroelectric domains in epitaxial BiFeO₃ (001) capacitors using transient switching current measurement and piezoresponse force microscopy. We observed the distinct behavior of nucleation and domain wall motion depending on the polarity of external electric bias. When applying the negative bias to the top electrode, the sideways domain wall motion initiated by only few nuclei was dominant to polarization switching. However, when applying the positive bias, most of domains started to grow from the pre-existed pinned domains and their growth velocity was much smaller. We suggest that the observed two distinct domain switching behavior is ascribed to the interfacial defect layer.     

First principles study of the electric polarization and of its switching in the multiferroic GaFeO3 system

The electric polarization in the multiferroic GaFeO(3) system is determined from its electronic structure using first principles methods and the modern theory of polarization. By carefully following the electric polarization on a path connecting the polar and centrosymmetric structures, it is found to be -25 μC cm(-2), which is ten times larger than a previous estimation given in the literature a few years ago and two times smaller than the value obtained in a recent similar study. The switching of this electric polarization through a centrosymmetric structure is discussed in terms of the total energy barrier. It is exhibited that such a switching is particularly difficult to achieve in relation to the tetrahedral environment of half of the Ga atoms. The switching via domain wall motion is also discussed.     

Polarization switching without domain formation at the intrinsic coercive field in ultrathin ferroelectric PbTiO₃

Polarization switching in ferroelectrics has been thought to occur only through the nucleation and growth of new domains. Here we use in situ synchrotron x-ray scattering to monitor switching controlled by applied chemical potential. In sufficiently thin PbTiO? films, nucleation is suppressed and switching occurs by a continuous mechanism, i.e., by uniform decrease and inversion of the polarization without domain formation. The observed lattice parameter shows that the electric field in the film during switching reaches the theoretical intrinsic coercive field.     

Ferroelectric Properties of Polycrystalline Ceramics with Dipolar Defect Simulated from the Potts--Ising Model

Physical properties of polycrystailine ferroelectrics including the contributions of the fixed dipolar defects and the average grain size in the Potts-Ising model are simulated by using the Monte Carlo method. Domain pattern, hysteresis loop and switching current of the polarization reversal process are obtained. Two processes are considered in our simulation. In the first one, the grain texture of ferroelectric ceramics are produced from the Ports model, and then the Ising model is implemented in the obtained polycrystailine texture to produce the domain pattern, hysteresis loop and switching current. It is concluded that the defect has the ability to decrease the remnant polarization P~ as well as the coercive field E~. The back switching is obviously observed after the electric field is off, and it shows some variation after introducing the fixed dipolar defect. Meanwhile, the spike of the switching current is found to lower with the increasing defect concentration and the decreasing average grain size.     

Triple-q(-->) octupolar ordering in NpO2

We report the results of resonant x-ray scattering experiments performed at the Np M(4,5) edges in NpO2. Below T(0)=25 K, the development of long-range order of Np electric quadrupoles is revealed by the growth of superlattice Bragg peaks. The polarization and azimuthal dependence of the intensity of the resonant peaks are well reproduced assuming anisotropic tensor susceptibility scattering from a triple-q(-->) longitudinal antiferroquadrupolar structure. Electric-quadrupole order in NpO2 could be driven by the ordering at T0 of magnetic octupoles of Gamma(5) symmetry, splitting the Np ground state quartet and leading to a singlet ground state with zero dipole-magnetic moment.     

Pulse train measurement of ferroelectric switching in thin films of vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene copolymer

Ferroelectric switching processes in thin films of a vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene copolymer are investigated by pulse train measurement that involves the application of a train of unipolar on–off electric field pulses and the analysis of charge response. It is found that polarization reversal is considerably delayed as pulse width becomes shorter than the conventional switching time, but is eventually completed even if pulse width is reduced to 0.2 μs. The charge response in each on–off cycle was resolved into dielectric and ferroelectric components. The former is nonlinear as well as relaxational and reflects changes in dipolar fluctuation and orientation during polarization reversal. The latter is responsible for polarization reversal that progresses forward and backward depending on the on–off period. Net polarization reversal occurs first gradually and then rapidly, corresponding to nucleation and growth, respectively. The switching current responsible for these processes can be reproduced by the sum of power and lognormal functions. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to the switching process that occurs as a result of the rotation of chain molecules. PACS 42.70.Jk; 77.80.Fm; 77.22.Ej     

Potential distribution in ferroelectric ceramic during pulsed exoelectron emission

The potential and polarization distributions in a planar emitting layer of PLZT-9/65/35 ferroelectric ceramic with a set of conductive strip electrodes on the emitting side and a continuous electrode on the opposite side are studied by numerical methods. The state arising immediately after polarization switching at the leading edge of an applied voltage pulse (i.e., before the polarization charges are screened by free charges) is considered. When the pulsed field strength far exceeds the double coercive field, regions with alternating polarization are found to form in the surface layer between the strips. The normal component of the polarization at its maxima is close to saturation. The electric field on both sides of the surface varies as the polarization vector and reaches 200 kV/cm. At surface microirregularities, the electric field strength is much higher. This means that field emission is responsible for electron escape from the ferroelectric ceramic during pulsed polarization switching.     

Analysis of ferroelectric switching in sodium nitrite:poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite films

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and switching current response in sodium nitrite:poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite films have been studied as a function of composition of NaNO₂. The switching current data fitted well to infinite-grain model (IGM) in the region t<t _s and to finite-grain model (FGM) in the region t≥t _s . The microscopic parameters like the dimensionality, the domain wall velocity, and the nucleation rate have been evaluated which provide more physical insight of the switching phenomena in the composite films. The polarization current and nucleation rate are optimum in 50 wt.% composite film and have been discussed in terms of grain size and strain variations with the composition. The effect of applied field and pulse width variation on the switching behavior of 50 wt.% composition has also been studied. The exponential field dependence of the domain wall velocity and the nucleation rate indicate that nucleation mechanism is responsible for switching phenomena in the composite films. The writing pulse width affects significantly on the switching behavior of the composite films.     

Polarization modification of PZT thin films by means of electric fields and stress in scanning force microscopy

Polarization switching in scanning force microscopy (SFM) is influenced by both electric fields and stress, whereby the latter can arise inherently from Maxwell stress. We discuss the influence of electric charges and of the polarization asymmetry on the switching behaviour. For single crystallites of PZT(53/47) thin films, the sectors for ferroelectric, ferroelastoelectric and ferroelastic switching are represented in a field-stress map. The influence of stress on the second harmonic of the SFM is also discussed.     

Magnetoelectric interaction and magnetic field control of electric polarization in multiferroics

Various aspects of magnetic field control of magnetoelectric (ME) and electric properties of multiferroics are considered: linear ME effect appearance at magnetic field-induced incommensurate–commensurate phase transition, polarization switching and reversal by magnetic field and magnetic field-induced polarization flop transition. The correlation between magnetic, electric, and magnetoelastic properties is shown.     

Polarization reversal in multiferroic TbMnO3 with a rotating magnetic field direction

For the memory application of magnetoelectric multiferroics, not only bistability (i.e., ferroelectricity) but also the switching of the polarization direction with some noneverlasting stimulus is necessary. Here, we report a novel method for the electric polarization reversal in TbMnO3 without the application of an electric field or heat. The direction of the magnetic-field-induced polarization along the a axis (Pa) is memorized even in the zero field where Pa is absent. The polarization direction can be reversed by rotating the magnetic-field direction in the ab plane.     

Superdomain structure and high conductivity at the vertices in the (111)-oriented epitaxial tetragonal Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film

Recently, in ferroelectric materials, there have been many experimental efforts to find out more intriguing topological objects and their functionalities, such as conduction property. Here we investigated ferroelectric domain structures and related topological defects in the (111)-oriented epitaxial tetragonal PbZr_0.35Ti_0.65O₃ thin film. Systematic piezoresponse force microscopy measurements revealed that the field-induced polarization switching can form thermodynamically stable superdomain structures composed of nano-sized stripe subdomains. Within such superdomain structures, we observed the exotic equilateral triangular in-plane flux-closure domains composed of three stripe domain bundles with 120/120/120 degrees of separation. The conductive-atomic force microscopy measurements under vacuum showed that some vertices have significantly higher conductivity compared to other surrounding regions. This work highlights electric field-driven polarization switching and unique crystallographic symmetry (here, three-fold rotational symmetry) can generate exotic ferroelectric domain structures and functional topological defects, such as conductive vertices.     

Reversible polarization of ferroelectric ceramics in a rapid-growing electric field

The complex permittivity of ferroelectric PZT ceramics with different compositions was measured in a pulsed rapid-growing electric field. The time dependence of the real component exhibits three peaks. The dips between them correlate with imaginary component peaks. Domain mechanisms that contribute to the ferroelectric polarization and are responsible for the time dependences are considered.     

Switching kinetics of ferroelastic ferroelectrics

Switching kinetics of uniaxial ferroelastic ferroelectrics (FFs) in external electric and stress fields is studied using classical theory of nucleation and growth. The stage in which the polarization and deformation reversal involves the main body of the FF and the final stage (Ostwald ripening) of the FF switching are studied with allowance for the change in the repolarization and redeformation during the phase transition. The time dependences of the repolarization and redeformation are found, and equations are derived from which the polarization current and the deformation flux, as well as their time dependence, can be calculated. The calculated main characteristics of the FF switching are compared with the experimental data for switching of Rochelle salt single crystals.     

Domain wall orientations in ferroelastics and ferroelectrics

This paper concerns the problem of orientations of domain walls in ferroelastic and/or ferroelectric single crystals. They are specified on the basis of elastic compatibility of the neighbouring domains. Results are presented in form of tables, which make it possible to find spontaneous tensors (i.e. strain and polarization) for each domain state in any ferroelastic and/or ferroelectric species. Domain wall orientations are listed in tables for all combinations of domain states. For each domain wall orientation, their charge or neutrality is indicated. Results are summarized in comprehensive table including numbers of possible domain states, domain wall types (W _∞, W _f , S) and their charge or neutrality. Domain pairs with non-permissible domain walls (R case) are also specified.     

Combined Real-Time Study of Dielectric Response and Piezoresponse of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 Relaxor in an Electric Field

Physics of the Solid State - A method of synchronous measurement of the piezoresponse signal and electrical impedance when studying the processes of polarization switching in an external electric...     

Electroluminescence and internal screening of domains upon polarization switching of ferroelectric ceramics in a pulsed self-consistent field

This paper reports on the results of investigations into the electroluminescence induced by polarization switching of a ferroelectric ceramic material in an electric field with a rapidly increasing strength. A correlation between the polarization switching and luminescence kinetics is revealed. It is demonstrated that tunneling of electrons to the conduction band and impact ionization in field concentrators are the main mechanisms of generation of free charge carriers responsible for the electroluminescence and internal screening of switching domains.