Observation of polar vortices in oxide superlattices

Yadav, A. K.; Nelson, C. T.; Hsu, S. L.; Hong, Z.; Clarkson, J. D.; Schlepütz, C. M.; Damodaran, A. R.; Shafer, P.; Arenholz, E.; Dedon, L. R.; Chen, D.; Vishwanath, A.; Minor, A. M.; Chen, L. Q.; Scott, J. F.; Martin, L. W.; Ramesh, R.

doi:10.1038/nature16463

Observation of polar vortices in oxide superlattices

Journal Article · Wed Jan 27 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16463· OSTI ID:1530227

Yadav, A. K. ^[1]; Nelson, C. T. ^[1]; Hsu, S. L. ^[1]; Hong, Z. ^[2]; Clarkson, J. D. ^[3]; Schlepütz, C. M. ^[4]; Damodaran, A. R. ^[3]; Shafer, P. ^[5]; Arenholz, E. ^[5]; Dedon, L. R. ^[3]; Chen, D. ^[3]; Vishwanath, A. ^[6]; Minor, A. M. ^[1]; Chen, L. Q. ^[2]; Scott, J. F. ^[7]; Martin, L. W. ^[1]; Ramesh, R. ^[1]

Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Univ. of St. Andrews, Scotland (United Kingdom)

The complex interplay of spin, charge, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom provides a plethora of exotic phases and physical phenomena. In recent years, complex spin topologies have emerged as a consequence of the electronic band structure and the interplay between spin and spin-orbit coupling in materials. Here we produce complex topologies of electrical polarization-namely, nanometre-scale vortex-antivortex (that is, clockwise-anticlockwise) arrays that are reminiscent of rotational spin topologies-by making use of the competition between charge, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom in superlattices of alternating lead titanate and strontium titanate layers. Atomic-scale mapping of the polar atomic displacements by scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of long-range ordered vortex-antivortex arrays that exhibit nearly continuous polarization rotation. Phase-field modelling confirms that the vortex array is the low-energy state for a range of superlattice periods. Within this range, the large gradient energy from the vortex structure is counterbalanced by the corresponding large reduction in overall electrostatic energy (which would otherwise arise from polar discontinuities at the lead titanate/strontium titanate interfaces) and the elastic energy associated with epitaxial constraints and domain formation. These observations have implications for the creation of new states of matter (such as dipolar skyrmions, hedgehog states) and associated phenomena in ferroic materials, such as electrically controllable chirality.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1530227

Journal Information:: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 7589 Vol. 530; ISSN 0028-0836

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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