Spontaneous formation of circular and vortex ferroelectric domain structure in hexagonal YMnO{sub 3} and YMn{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 0.1}O{sub 3} prepared by low temperature solution synthesis

Journal Article · Mon Aug 10 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4928565· OSTI ID:22489094

Harunsani, M. H.; Li, J.; Qin, Y. B.; Tian, H. T.; Li, J. Q.

We report an experimental study of the domain structure of ferroelectric YMnO{sub 3} and YMn{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 0.1}O{sub 3} using polycrystalline samples prepared by direct hydrothermal crystallisation at 240 °C, well below their structural phase transition temperatures. Powder X-ray diffraction shows the expected P6{sub 3}cm space group for both samples with an increase in a and a small decrease in c with Fe incorporation, consistent with an adjustment of MnO{sub 5} tilting, while XANES spectra at the Mn and Fe K edges show the oxidation state of both metals are maintained at +3 in the doped sample. High resolution TEM shows that curved stripe, annular and vortex domains can all be observed in the YMnO{sub 3} crystals, proving that the structural phase transition is not the only driving force for the occurrence of the annular and vortex domains. Furthermore, the absence of the annular and vortex domains in YMn{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 0.1}O{sub 3} indicates that the tilting state of MnO{sub 5} bipyramids plays an important role in the domain formation. Atomic resolution STEM images confirm that the ferroelectric domain walls correspond to structural antiphase boundaries similar to the crystals made via high temperature solid-state reactions.

• OSTI ID: 22489094
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 107; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
CRYSTALLIZATION
DOMAIN STRUCTURE
DOPED MATERIALS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
MANGANESE OXIDES
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS
POLYCRYSTALS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION