Piezo-phototronic Effect in Centro-symmetric BiVO4 Epitaxial Films

Abstract With exciting functionality, topological defects in ferroic system have attracted much attention. Under proper design, the emergence of polar domain walls in non-polar ferroelastics enables piezo-phototronic effect. In this study, we revealed ferroelastic twin texture with localized piezoelectric effect in epitaxial BiVO4 film by piezoresponse force microscopy. Supported by the strain field analysis, we found the piezoresponse confined at domain wall area is attributed to the flexoelectric effect induced by the presence of ferroelastic twin domains during the paraelastic to ferroelastic phase transition. The piezo-phototronic phenomenon was further supported the experimental evidence of dye-degradation and generation of reactive radicals. This work not only provides new insights into the introduction of piezo-phototronic effects in non-polar materials, but also sheds light on a new concept to use material inhomogeneity for acquiring multifunctionality.

Download Full-text

Ferroelectric domain-wall logic units

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1175749/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jing Wang ◽

Jing Ma ◽

Houbing Huang ◽

Ji Ma ◽

Hasnain Jafri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Domain Wall ◽

Electric Field ◽

Domain Walls ◽

Logic Gates ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Ferroelectric Domain ◽

Conduction Path ◽

Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

Flexible Control ◽

Force Microscopy

Abstract The electronic conductivities of ferroelectric domain walls have been extensively explored over the past decade for potential nanoelectronic applications. However, the realization of logic devices based on ferroelectric domain walls requires reliable and flexible control of the domain-wall configuration and conduction path. Here, we demonstrate electric-field-controlled stable and repeatable on-and-off switching of conductive domain walls within topologically confined vertex domains naturally formed in self-assembled ferroelectric nano-islands. Using a combination of piezoresponse force microscopy, conductive atomic force microscopy, and phase-field simulations, we show that on-off switching is accomplished through reversible transformations between charged and neutral domain walls via electric-field-controlled domain-wall reconfiguration. By analogy to logic processing, we propose programmable logic gates (such as NOT, OR, AND and their derivatives) and logic circuits (such as fan-out) based on reconfigurable conductive domain walls. Our work provides a potentially viable platform for programmable all-electric logic based on a ferroelectric domain-wall network with low energy consumption.

Download Full-text

Structure and Dynamics of Ferroelectric Domains in Polycrystalline Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma12081327 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 1327 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ursic ◽

Bencan ◽

Prah ◽

Dragomir ◽

Malic

Keyword(s):

Domain Wall ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Domain Structure ◽

Domain Walls ◽

Domain Switching ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Paraelectric Phase Transition ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Ferroelectric Domains

A complex domain structure with variations in the morphology is observed at ambient temperature in monoclinic Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3. Using electron microscopy and piezoresponse force microscopy, it is possible to reveal micrometre-sized wedge, lamellar-like, and irregularly shaped domains. By increasing the temperature, the domain structure persists up to 80 °C, and then starts to disappear at around 100 °C due to the proximity of the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition, in agreement with macroscopic dielectric measurements. In order to understand to what degree domain switching can occur in the ceramic, the mobility of the domain walls was studied at ambient temperature. The in situ poling experiment performed using piezoresponse force microscopy resulted in an almost perfectly poled area, providing evidence that all types of domains can be easily switched. By poling half an area with 20 V and the other half with −20 V, two domains separated by a straight domain wall were created, indicating that Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 is a promising material for domain-wall engineering.

Download Full-text

Investigations of ferroelectric polycrystalline bulks and thick films using piezoresponse force microscopy

Proceedings of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspa.2018.0782 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 475 (2223) ◽

pp. 20180782 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hana Uršič ◽

Uroš Prah

Keyword(s):

Domain Walls ◽

Thick Films ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Domain Structures ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Ferroelectric Domain Structure ◽

Converse Piezoelectric Effect ◽

Non Destructive

In recent years, ferroelectric/piezoelectric polycrystalline bulks and thick films have been extensively studied for different applications, such as sensors, actuators, transducers and caloric devices. In the majority of these applications, the electric field is applied to the working element in order to induce an electromechanical response, which is a complex phenomenon with several origins. Among them is the field-induced movement of domain walls, which is nowadays extensively studied using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), a technique derived from atomic force microscopy. PFM is based on the detection of the local converse piezoelectric effect in the sample; it is one of the most frequently applied methods for the characterization of the ferroelectric domain structure due to the simplicity of the sample preparation, its non-destructive nature and its relatively high imaging resolution. In this review, we focus on the PFM analysis of ferroelectric bulk ceramics and thick films. The core of the paper is divided into four sections: (i) introduction; (ii) the preparation of the samples prior to the PFM investigation; (iii) this is followed by reviews of the domain structures in polycrystalline bulks; and (iv) thick films.

Download Full-text

Phase engineering in oxides by interfaces

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rsta.2012.0204 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 370 (1977) ◽

pp. 4972-4988 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Manfred Fiebig

Keyword(s):

Domain Walls ◽

Second Harmonic ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Bulk Crystals ◽

Oxide Interface ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Hexagonal Manganites ◽

Phase Engineering ◽

Protected Domain ◽

Antiferromagnetic Domains

Optical second harmonic generation and piezoresponse force microscopy are used to investigate manifestations of ordered states directly related to the presence of an oxide interface. Three examples, each with a very different scope, are reviewed in order to highlight the richness of interface-related phenomena in oxides. (i) The orbital states involved in the emergence of an interfacial conducting state in LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructures are investigated, which reveal a surprising decoupling of orbital and transport properties; (ii) the distribution of ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic domains in epitaxial films of the multiferroic hexagonal manganites is investigated, which reveals striking differences to the corresponding bulk crystals; and (iii) the distribution of trimerization–polarization domains in the hexagonal manganites is investigated, which reveals the presence of topologically protected domain walls with properties different from the bulk.

Download Full-text

Shear effects in lateral piezoresponse force microscopy at 180° ferroelectric domain walls

Applied Physics Letters ◽

10.1063/1.3226654 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 95 (13) ◽

pp. 132902 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

J. Guyonnet ◽

H. Béa ◽

F. Guy ◽

S. Gariglio ◽

S. Fusil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Domain Walls ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Ferroelectric Domain ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Shear Effects

Download Full-text

Meso- to nano-scopic domain structures in high Curie-temperature piezoelectric BiScO3–PbTiO3 single crystals of complex perovskite structure

Journal of Materials Chemistry C ◽

10.1039/d0tc00924e ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (21) ◽

pp. 7234-7243

Author(s):

Zeng Luo ◽

Zenghui Liu ◽

David Walker ◽

Steven Huband ◽

Pam A. Thomas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Curie Temperature ◽

Single Crystals ◽

Domain Walls ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

High Curie Temperature ◽

Complex Perovskite ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Local Distortion ◽

Multi Scale ◽

Domain Structures

Multi-scale domain structures in the BiScO3–PbTiO3 single crystal are imagined and analyzed by birefringence imaging microscopy (BIM) and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), revealing the local distortion in the vicinity of the domain walls.

Download Full-text

Dynamics and manipulation of ferroelectric domain walls in bismuth ferrite thin films

National Science Review ◽

10.1093/nsr/nwz176 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 278-284 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shuyu Xiao ◽

Yaming Jin ◽

Xiaomei Lu ◽

Sang-Wook Cheong ◽

Jiangyu Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Domain Walls ◽

Bismuth Ferrite ◽

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽

Discrete Symmetry ◽

Ferroelectric Domain ◽

Tail Domain ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Growth Energy ◽

Applied Electrical Field

Abstract Ferroelectric domain walls differ from domains not only in their crystalline and discrete symmetry, but also in their electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties. Although domain walls provide a degree of freedom to regulate the physical properties at the nanoscale, the relatively lower controllability prevents their practical applications in nano-devices. In this work, with the advantages of 3D domain configuration detection based on piezoresponse force microscopy, we find that the mobility of three types of domain walls (tail-to-tail, head-to-tail, head-to-head) in (001) BiFeO3 films varies with the applied electrical field. Under low voltages, head-to-tail domain walls are more mobile than other domain walls, while, under high voltages, tail-to-tail domain walls become rather active and possess relatively long average lengths. This is due to the high nucleation energy and relatively low growth energy for charged domain walls. Finally, we demonstrate the manipulation of domain walls through successive electric writings, resulting in well-aligned conduction paths as designed, paving the way for their application in advanced spintronic, memory and communication nano-devices.

Download Full-text