Mapping bias-induced phase stability and random fields in relaxor ferroelectrics

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3222868· OSTI ID:1082018

Rodriguez, Brian ^[1]; Jesse, Stephen ^[2]; Bokov, Alexei A. ^[3]; Ye, Z. -G. ^[3]; Kalinin, Sergei ^[4]

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1. University College, Dublin
2. ORNL
3. Simon Fraser University, Canada
4. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

The spatial variability of polarization reversal behavior in the relaxor 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3) 0.1PbTiO3 crystal, is revealed on the 100 nm scale using switching spectroscopy piezoresponse force microscopy. Quenched fields conjugate to polarization are found, which show mesoscopic ( 100 200 nm) spatial fluctuations around near-zero bias values. The mapping of the stability gap of the bias-induced phase and conjugate random fields is demonstrated. The origin of the observed nanoscale domains and the field-induced part of the polarization are discussed.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1082018
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 95, Issue 9; ISSN 0003-6951
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English