Equilibrium polarization of ultrathin PbTiO{<_3} with surface compensation controlled by oxygen partial pressure.

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.187602· OSTI ID:1028618

Highland, M J; Fister, T T; Fong, D D; Fuoss, P H; Thompson, C; Eastman, J A; Streiffer, S K; Stephenson, G B ^[1]

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1. Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division

We present a synchrotron x-ray study of the equilibrium polarization structure of ultrathin PbTiO{sub 3} films on SrRuO{sub 3} electrodes epitaxially grown on SrTiO{sub 3} (001) substrates, as a function of temperature and the external oxygen partial pressure (pO{sub 2}) controlling their surface charge compensation. We find that the ferroelectric Curie temperature (T{sub c}) varies with pO{sub 2} and has a minimum at the intermediate pO{sub 2}, where the polarization below T{sub c} changes sign. The experiments are in qualitative agreement with a model based on Landau theory that takes into account the interaction of the phase transition with the electrochemical equilibria for charged surface species. The paraelectric phase is stabilized at intermediate pO2 when the concentrations of surface species are insufficient to compensate either polar orientation.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1028618
• Report Number(s): ANL/MSD/JA-71124; PRLTAO; TRN: US201122%%776
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 18; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CURIE POINT
ELECTRODES
EPITAXY
EQUILIBRIUM
THIN FILMS
FUNCTIONS
INTERACTIONS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
ORIENTATION
OXYGEN
PARTIAL PRESSURE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLARIZATION
RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM TITANATES
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
TITANATES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
X-RAY DIFFRACTION