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Atomic-Environment-Dependent Thickness of Ferroelastic Domain Walls

23 Pages Posted: 4 Nov 2019 Publication Status: Preprint

See all articles by Mingqiang Li

Mingqiang Li

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory; Peking University - International Center for Quantum Materials; Peking University - Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies

Xiaomei Li

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Institute of Physics; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Yuehui Li

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory

Heng-Jui Liu

National Chung Hsing University - Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Ying-Hao Chu

National Chiao-Tung University - Department of Material Science and Engineering; Academia Sinica - Institute of Physics

Peng Gao

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory

Abstract

Domain walls are of increasing interest in ferroelectrics because of their unique properties and potential applications in future nanoelectronics. However, the thickness of ferroelastic domain walls remains elusive due to the challenges in experimental characterization. Here, we determine the atomic structure of ferroelastic domain walls and precisely measure the polarization and domain wall thickness at picometer scale using annular bright field imaging in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. We find that the domain wall thickness in PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 and PbTiO3 thin films is typically about one-unit cell, across which the oxygen octahedron distortion behavior is in excellent agreement with first principles calculations. Remarkably, wider domain walls about two-unit cells in thickness are also observed for those domains walls are coupled with dislocations and underwent a compressive strain. These results suggest that the thickness of ferroelastic domain walls highly depends on their atomic environments. This study can help us to understand the past debatable experimental results and provide further insights into control of domain walls via strain engineering for their possible applications in nanoelectronics.

Keywords: Ferroelastic domain walls, Atomic structure, Polarization, Scanning transmission electron microscopy, Annular bright field image

Suggested Citation

Li, Mingqiang and Li, Xiaomei and Li, Yuehui and Liu, Heng-Jui and Chu, Ying-Hao and Gao, Peng, Atomic-Environment-Dependent Thickness of Ferroelastic Domain Walls. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3478000 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3478000

Mingqiang Li

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory

Beijing, 100871
China

Peking University - International Center for Quantum Materials

Beijing, 100871
China

Peking University - Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies

Beijing, 100871
China

Xiaomei Li

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics

Beijing, 100190
China

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Institute of Physics

Beijing, 100190
China

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Building 7, NO. 80 Zhongguancun Road
Beijing, Beijing 100190
China

Yuehui Li

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory

Beijing, 100871
China

Heng-Jui Liu

National Chung Hsing University - Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Taichung, 40227
Taiwan

Ying-Hao Chu

National Chiao-Tung University - Department of Material Science and Engineering ( email )

1001 University Road
Taiwan, ROC 300
Taiwan

Academia Sinica - Institute of Physics ( email )

Taipei, 11529
Taiwan

Peng Gao (Contact Author)

Peking University - Electron Microscopy Laboratory ( email )

Beijing, 100871
China

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