Stress-induced phase transition in ferroelectric domain walls of BaTiO.sub.3./sub

0378640 - FZÚ 2013 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Stepkova, Vilgelmina - Márton, Pavel - Hlinka, Jiří
Stress-induced phase transition in ferroelectric domain walls of BaTiO₃
Journal of Physics-Condensed Matter. Roč. 24, č. 21 (2012), 1-4. ISSN 0953-8984. E-ISSN 1361-648X
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP204/10/0616
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520
Keywords : phase transition * ferroelectric domain walls * BaTiO₃ * rhombohedral * phase-field simulations * epitaxial stress * chiral
Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism
Impact factor: 2.355, year: 2012

The seminal paper by Zhirnov (1958 Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 35 1175-80) explained why the structure of domain walls in ferroelectrics and ferromagnets is drastically different. Here we show that the antiparallel ferroelectric walls in rhombohedral ferroelectric BaTiO3 can be switched between the Ising-like state (typical for ferroelectrics) and a Bloch-like state (unusual for ferroelectric walls but typical for magnetic ones). Phase-field simulations using a Ginzburg-Landau-Devonshire model suggest that this symmetry-breaking transition can be induced by a compressive epitaxial stress. The strain-tunable chiral properties of these domain walls promise a range of novel phenomena in epitaxial ferroelectric thin films.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0210061