Strong strain dependence of ferroelectric coercivity in a BiFeO3 film

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3569137· OSTI ID:1010995

Biegalski, Michael D ^[1]; Kim, Dae Ho ^[2]; Dorr, Kathrin ^[3]; Christen, Hans M ^[1]

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1. ORNL
2. Tulane University
3. IFW Dresden

The ferroelectric polarization loop of an epitaxial BiFeO3 film on a piezoelectric substrate has been measured as a function of the continuously and reversibly varied biaxial strain of e = 0.36 0.51 %. Over this range, the ferroelectric coercive field (Ec) at 80 K increases reversibly by 36 % with the increasing tensile strain. The strain dependence of the remanent polarization agrees with previous experimental results and simulations based on thermodynamic considerations. In contrast, such calculations predict dEc/de <0, contradicting our experiments. Thus, the strain dependence of kinetic barriers influencing the rates of domain wall nucleation and propagation which are neglected in thermodynamic models may dominate the observed positive dEc/de.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1010995
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 98; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BiFeO3
KINETICS
NUCLEATION
POLARIZATION
STRAINS
SUBSTRATES
Strain
THERMODYNAMIC MODEL
THERMODYNAMICS
and Feroelectric Coercivity