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Title: 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 · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916231· OSTI ID:22395763
;  [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, Vol. 106, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English