Title: Dynamics and manipulation of ferroelectric domain walls in bismuth ferrite thin films

Abstract

Abstract Ferroelectric domain walls differ from domains not only in their crystalline and discrete symmetry, but also in their electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties. Although domain walls provide a degree of freedom to regulate the physical properties at the nanoscale, the relatively lower controllability prevents their practical applications in nano-devices. In this work, with the advantages of 3D domain configuration detection based on piezoresponse force microscopy, we find that the mobility of three types of domain walls (tail-to-tail, head-to-tail, head-to-head) in (001) BiFeO3 films varies with the applied electrical field. Under low voltages, head-to-tail domain walls are more mobile than other domain walls, while, under high voltages, tail-to-tail domain walls become rather active and possess relatively long average lengths. This is due to the high nucleation energy and relatively low growth energy for charged domain walls. Finally, we demonstrate the manipulation of domain walls through successive electric writings, resulting in well-aligned conduction paths as designed, paving the way for their application in advanced spintronic, memory and communication nano-devices.

Authors:

Xiao, Shuyu  ^[1];

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Jin, Yaming ^[1]; Lu, Xiaomei ^[2]; Cheong, Sang-Wook ^[3]; Li, Jiangyu  ^[4];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-0533-1397"
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Li, Yang ^[1]; Huang, Fengzhen ^[2]; Zhu, Jinsong ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Physics School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
2. National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Physics School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
3. Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
4. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Nanobiomechanics, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA

Publication Date:

2019-11-08

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1604835

Grant/Contract Number:  

[FG02-07ER46382]

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

National Science Review

Additional Journal Information:

[Journal Name: National Science Review Journal Volume: 7 Journal Issue: 2]; Journal ID: ISSN 2095-5138

Publisher:

Oxford University Press

Country of Publication:

China

Language:

English