Residual tensile stress in robust insulating rhombohedral Bi{sub 1−x}La{sub x}Fe{sub 1−y}Ti{sub y}O{sub 3} multiferroic ceramics and its ability to pin ferroelectric polarization switching

Journal Article · Mon Mar 16 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916231· OSTI ID:22395763

Zhang, Linlin; Yu, Jian ^[1]

---

1. Functional Materials Research Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201800 (China)

Robust insulating rhombohedral Bi{sub 1−x}La{sub x}Fe{sub 1−y}Ti{sub y}O{sub 3} multiferroic ceramics with 0.02 ≤ x ≤ 0.12 and 0.01 ≤ y ≤ 0.08 are prepared by a refined solid-state reaction electroceramic processing. Residual internal tensile stresses existed in the ceramics according to unit cell volume enlargement observed by X-ray diffraction and frequency redshifts of Raman modes related to Bi motion and oxygen octahedral rotation detected by Raman scattering measurements. Residual internal tensile stresses in the ceramics are believed to originate from structural phase transitions through an intermediate paraelectric rhombohedral phase with a negative thermal expansion coefficient in the transformation from paraelectric cubic to ferroelectric rhombohedral phases. All of the rhombohedral Bi{sub 1−x}La{sub x}Fe{sub 1−y}Ti{sub y}O{sub 3} ceramics exhibited a pinched polarization versus electric field hysteresis loop indicative of ferroelectric subswitching. We argue that the residual internal tensile stresses are responsible for such ferroelectric polarization subswitching behavior in the Bi{sub 1−x}La{sub x}Fe{sub 1−y}Ti{sub y}O{sub 3} ceramics.

• OSTI ID: 22395763
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 106; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
CERAMICS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
HYSTERESIS
IRON COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLARIZATION
RAMAN EFFECT
RED SHIFT
ROTATION
SOLIDS
STRESSES
THERMAL EXPANSION
TITANATES
TRIGONAL LATTICES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION