Ferroelastoelectric phenomena in a uniaxial ferroelectric TGS crystal

Possibility of the ferroelastoelectric behavior manifestations in a uniaxial ferroelectric TGS crystal was investigated. Analysis of the spontaneous piezoelectric moduli tensors for each of the 180°-domains formed as a result of the phase transition in TGS revealed possible directions for simultaneous application of the electric field and mechanical stresses to induce the switching effect in TGS. Influence of the uniaxial mechanical stresses σ₁₁, σ₂₂, σ₃₃ on the parameters of saturated and unsaturated dielectric hysteresis loops in TGS is considered. It was found that a nontraditional E ₃σ₁₂ combination of fields may lead to the domain switching in TGS crystals.     

Effect of low-symmetry mechanical stresses on the magnetic properties of iron borate

Low-(C ₃) symmetry mechanical stresses are used to induce an additional crystalline magnetic anisotropy in the basal plane of a FeBO₃ single crystal. The effect of the stress-induced anisotropy on the main magnetic properties of this weak ferromagnet is studied by a magnetooptic method. This additional anisotropy is shown to transform the initial 180° domain structure of iron borate into a structure with domain walls making an angle of ～ 120° with each other in the basal plane of the crystal. However, unlike in the ordinary 120° DW structure, the azimuthal angle of the spontaneous magnetization vectors in the arising domains varies along domain walls. It is found that the stress-induced transformation of the crystal’s domain structure significantly affects the shape of hysteresis loops recorded at quasi-static magnetization, increases the initial magnetooptic susceptibility, and makes the coercive force anisotropic.     

Poling dynamics of lithium niobate crystals

Ferroelectric domain reversal via electric field poling of congruently melting lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) crystals is investigated. An electro-optic interferometric observation technique reveals spatial and temporal dynamics of the poling process. Starting from seeds, the domains grow until the entire crystal has a switched polarization. During the switching process the boundaries are preferentially aligned along the crystallographic axes. The coercive field between two sequenced domain inversions is transiently reduced after a poling event, and recovers exponentially with a time constant of about half a minute. No light-induced change of the recovery time constant, neither with green nor with ultraviolet light, is observed. The results are of relevance for domain engineering of LiNbO₃ crystals. Received: 6 February 2003 / Published online: 9 April 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +49-228/734038, E-mail: wengler@physik.uni-bonn.de     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the initial stages of polarization switching in ferroelectrics

The thermodynamics and kinetics of polarization switching in ferroelectrics are studied in the specific case of switching in intrinsic ferroelectrics with 180° domains. The initial stage of the switching in the region of weak metastability is analyzed. An expression relating the critical domain size to the switching field is derived. An equation describing the evolution of the size distribution function of the switched domains is obtained. Expressions for calculating the number of polarization switching nuclei as a function of the switching field are derived.     

Processing effects on the microstructure and ferroelectric properties of strontium bismuth tantalate thin films

Ferroelectric thin films of strontium bismuth tantalate compositions with Bi/Sr ratios of 2.75 and 2.50 have been produced by deposition of solutions derived from sol-gels followed by crystallization using rapid thermal processing (RTP) at 650 °C. Single-step and two-step processes have been used for the RTP crystallization of the films. Both the composition and the heating process used affect the grain size, grain shape and compositional heterogeneity of the films, acting on their ferroelectric switching behaviour and dielectric properties. Larger and more elongated grains are obtained by crystallization using a single-step process. These films exhibit less slanted hysteresis loops. The combination of the study of the pure-ferroelectric-switching loop and the lambda curves through the application of a Curie–Weiss-like model gives a deeper insight into the influence of film heterogeneity on its ferroelectric properties. The observation of net polarisation without poling in all the films is attributed to the effects of 180° ferroelectric domains. Received: 16 May 2001 / Accepted: 27 October 2001 / Published online: 20 March 2002     

Stray field interaction of stacked amorphous tapes

In this study, magnetic cores made of amorphous rectangular tape layers are investigated. The quality factor Q of the tape material decreases rapidly, however, when stacking at least two tape layers. The hysteresis loop becomes non-linear, and the coercivity increases. These effects are principally independent of the frequency and occur whether tape layers are insulated or not. The Kerr-microscopy was used to monitor local hysteresis loops by varying the distance of two tape layers. The magnetization direction of each magnetic domain is influenced by the anisotropy axis, the external magnetic field and the stray field of magnetic domains of the neighboring tape layers. We found that crossed easy axes (as the extreme case for inclined axes) of congruent domains retain the remagnetization and induce a plateau of the local loop. Summarizing local loops leads to the observed increase of coercivity and non-linearity of the inductively measured loop. A high Q-factor can be preserved if the easy axes of stacked tape layers are identical within the interaction range in the order of mm.     

Piezoresponse imaging and local characterization of ferroelectric domains in Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–7%PbTiO3 single crystals

Ferroelectric domain structures of (001)‐oriented Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–7%PbTiO₃ (PZN‐7%PT) single crystals were visualized and characterized by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Locally regular domain configurations are found to be possibly related to the stable macroscopic properties in the PZN‐7%PT single crystals. Nanoscale piezoresponse hysteresis loops measured by PFM tip revealed no evidence of local domain switching behavior in the PZN‐7%PT single crystal. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Effects of the ordering of structural units of the cationic sublattice of LiNbO3:Zn crystals and their manifestation in Raman spectra

We have studied the Raman spectra of congruent crystals of lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) that were doped with Zn²⁺ ions in the range of concentration of 0–1.59 mol %. We have revealed a region of a more ordered structure such that the order of sequence of basic ions, impurity ions, and vacancies along the polar axis of the cationic sublattice is more regular, while the oxygen octahedra are close to ideal. In this case, crystals have a higher optical quality and are more stable with respect to optical damage. An increased ordering of the structure is realized because small amounts of Zn²⁺ cations displace Nb_Li defects and order the alternation of cations and vacancies along the polar axis and make the crystal less defect with respect to Li⁺ vacancies. Our results are important for industrial production of optically perfect lithium-niobate crystals by doping a congruent crystal with small concentrations of Zn²⁺ ions, since, in this case, technological regimes of crystal growth almost do not differ from regimes of growing of nominally pure congruent crystals.     

The influence of low x-ray doses on the properties of chromium-doped triglycine sulfate

The influence of low x-ray doses on pulsed polarization switching in triglycine sulfate crystals at different chromium impurity concentrations is investigated. It is demonstrated that the activation field α in the temperature range 20.0°C-T _c ambiguously depends on the radiation dose for pulses of switching currents of different polarities. It is found that the unipolarity associated with the presence of chromium ions in impurity triglycine sulfate crystals decreases as a result of the interaction between radiation-induced and impurity defects.     

铌锰锆钛酸铅铁电陶瓷电滞回线的温度和频率响应

研究了Pb［(Zr052Ti048)095(Mn1/3Nb2/3)005］O3 (PMnN_PZT) 铁电陶瓷电滞回线的温度和频率响应,结果显示在高频和室温条件下测试铁电特性时,电滞回线呈现“束腰”形状,而不是通常所看到的方形回线 . 在低频和高温条件下测试时才能观察到正常的方形回线,同时,诸如矫顽场、极化强度、 内偏场这些重要的铁电参数也会随频率和温度发生显著的变化. 剩余极化强度随频率和温度 的大幅增长表明“束腰” 电滞回线有可能是由于缺陷偶极子引起的. 电滞回线形状与温度 和频率存在较强的相关性说明缺陷偶极子存在一特征弛豫时间,缺陷偶极子反转响应速度由 此弛豫时间决定. 关键词： 电滞回线 氧空位 频率响应 温度响应     

Neutron diffraction study of the nano-inhomogeneities of the sphalerite crystal structure induced by magnetoactive 3d ions in II–VI solid solutions

It is shown by means of the thermal neutron diffraction method that, during the doping of Zn-chalcogenide semiconductor crystals with 3d ions, elongated distortions whose spatial topology depends on the type of impurity can be formed in the sphalerite modification based on the initial crystal structure. Experimental results are discussed using the concept of vibronic interaction induced by foreign ions with partially filled outer electron shells in the cubic crystal field.     

The effect of temperature on laws of minor hysteresis loops in nickel single crystals with compressive deformation

The temperature dependence of minor hysteresis loops of compressively deformed nickel single crystals has been investigated in a wide temperature range below the Curie temperature of 628 K. There exist power-law relations between the field-dependent parameters of minor-loops, and their exponents are independent of both temperature and strain after the compressive deformation. These observations indicate the presence of universal power laws in minor hysteresis loops. The minor-loop coefficients of the power laws show a similar temperature dependence of the coercive force, which is quantitatively related to the dislocation density. These properties of minor hysteresis loops are useful for the accurate and quantitative nondestructive evaluation of age degradation in ferromagnetic materials.     

Double-hysteresis-like loops in Mn-doped (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics

PLZT12/40/60 ceramics doped with different Mn content were prepared by a conventional mixed oxide method. The shrinkage of some local crystal cells was confirmed by XRD diffraction. The effect of Mn doping on the hysteresis loop was investigated. A peculiar double-hysteresis-like loop was found and various possible mechanisms were discussed. Random local strains caused by shrunk crystal cells can satisfactorily explain the double hysteresis characteristics. The dependence of the double-hysteresis-like loops on temperature was also investigated. Due to the heat activation of polar moments in shrunk crystal cells, the double-hysteresis-like loops can transform into a normal one when the temperature is rising.     

Microscopic simulation of the polarization switching at ferroelectric first-order phase transitions

Simulations of the kinetics of polarization switching at first-order ferroelectric phase transitions are carried out within the framework of Ishibashi dipole lattice model. We consider the influence of the dipole–dipole interaction between polar units on the polarization switching taking into account the existence of metastable states. We also examine the size effect on the switching kinetics. We calculate hysteresis loops and switching rates in the systems in which the continuum approximation is not valid. We show that in the case of hundreds of polar units our equations give the known analytical expressions for the switching rate.     

Magnetic domains and anisotropy in single crystals of Er(Co,Mn)O3

We have previously reported the magnetic properties of the Er(Co,Mn)O₃ solid solution, in which Mn atoms have been partially substituted by Co. Several magnetic entities coexist in this system (Er³⁺, Mn³⁺, Mn⁴⁺, Co²⁺, Co³⁺), resulting into a subtle interplay between different interactions and leading to unusual phenomena such as: a spin reversal due to antiferromagnetic exchange between erbium and transition-metal spins, a step-like transition due to reorientation of magnetic domains, a relaxation mechanism connected to the rotation energy of the domains, the intersection of the increasing and decreasing branches in the magnetization loops, etc. These results have been obtained in highly dense ceramic samples for compositions near ErCo_0.50Mn_0.50O₃. In order to better understand the different mechanisms, we have started a program on crystal growth. High-quality single crystals of orthorhombic structure (S.G. Pbnm) of Er(Co,Mn)O₃ manganite were grown in a floating-zone oven under oxygen atmosphere. Although the zero-field-cooled/field cooled (ZFC/FC) curves confirm the spin reversal observed in bulk samples, the remarkable effects seen on hysteresis loops for bulk samples were not present in single crystals, probably due to oxygenation conditions. On the other hand, a very large anisotropy was observed between two perpendicular orientations of the single crystal.     

Remanenz und Ummagnetisierungsbeginn in Nickeleinkristallen

The hysteresis, especially the remanence, and the magnetostriction of nickel single crystal rods of 〈110〉, 〈111〉, 〈100〉 and medium orientation are measured at room temperature in a magnetic joke and their dependence on plastic deformation is investigated. In undeformed crystals the nucleation of reverse domains needs a negativeH-field several times the coercivity, thus causing an “overshooting” of the hysteresis. Very small plastic deformations initiate the formation of the reverse domains and destroy the overshooting. Similar to polycrystals, the remanence of the single crystals — except those with 〈100〉 as axis — falls steeply at the beginning of plastic deformation to about 40% of its initial value. The magnetization reversal and the role of nucleation processes are discussed for the different orientations.     

Effect of dielectric layer on ferroelectric responses of P(VDF-TrFE) thin films

The dielectric layer in the sandwich structural device plays a very important role in determining the electrical properties of the ferroelectric film. In this paper, we investigate the effect of the dielectric layers with different thicknesses on switching performance of ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) thin films. The hysteresis loops become slanting with increasing thickness of the dielectric layer. A negative slope of the ‘real’ hysteresis loop is apparently observed which demonstrates negative capacitance effect caused by the dielectric layer. This behavior is simulated qualitatively by the Weiss mean field model considering an interfacial dielectric layer in series with a ferroelectric layer. The agreement between experiments and simulations supports that negative capacitance results from the positive feedback among electric dipoles. Furthermore, the switching time of the ferroelectric film increases with the increase of dielectric layer thickness. This study shows that the ferroelectric sandwich structure provides great potential towards low power negative capacitance devices.     

An analysis of interacting bistable magnetic microwires: from ordered to chaotic behaviours

Fe-based magnetostrictive amorphous wires are bistable exhibiting square-shaped longitudinal hysteresis loops. This is a consequence of their particular domain structure that allows them to be approached as magnetic dipoles. Arrays of such bistables wires are accordingly shown to be coupled by magnetostatic interactions. Furthermore, an analysis of these interactions allows us to conclude that depending on the relative strength of the magnetostatic and Zeeman interactions, ordered, complex or chaotic behaviours are found in the temporal variation of the array magnetisation.     

Constricted hysteresis loops in Fe and Ni single crystals

Magnetic hysteresis loops reflect the variety of magnetic domain structures and have been considered to have normal rectangular or leaf-like shapes in standard ferromagnets such as Fe and Ni metals. We report on observations of constricted hysteresis loops in Fe and Ni single crystals with very low defect densities. The constricted loops were observed below T=150 K and in a medium temperature range from 150 to 430 K in Fe and Ni single crystals, respectively. These constricted loops disappear by weak plastic deformation for both single crystals. The origin of constricted hysteresis loops was explained by eddy current effects under less domain wall pinning due to dislocations.     

Theory of switching of multiaxial ferroelectrics (Initial stage)

The classical theory of nucleation and growth is used to study the thermodynamics and kinetics of switching of multiaxial ferroelectrics. The initial stage of 180°-and 90°-domain switching is studied in the tetragonal, orthorhombic, and trigonal phases. The multidimensional kinetic theory of first-order phase transitions is applied to describe the initial stage of switching of ferroelectric crystals in the general case where three-dimensional growth (along the radius and height) of repolarized domains occurs. The energy of nucleus formation is calculated in the vicinity of the saddle point of an activation barrier in the space of sizes and shapes, and the dependence of the critical domain size on the switching field is found. The two-dimensional Fokker-Planck kinetic equation is reduced to a one-dimensional Zel’dovich equation, and a stationary solution to the Zel’dovich equation is obtained. The diffusion coefficients are derived in the size space for the normal and layer-by-layer mechanisms of domain growth. The main characteristic of the initial switching stage, namely, the steadystate flux of repolarized domains, is found as a function of the applied field.