Abstract
Ferroelectric domain nucleation and growth in multiferroic BiFeO 3 films is observed directly by applying a local electric field with a conductive tip inside a scanning transmission electron microscope. The nucleation and growth of a ferroelastic domain and its interaction with pre-existing 71° domain walls are observed and compared with the results of phase-field modeling. In particular, a preferential nucleation site and direction-dependent pinning of domain walls are observed due to slow kinetics of metastable switching in the sample without a bottom electrode. These in situ spatially resolved observations of a first-order bias-induced phase transition reveal the mesoscopic mechanisms underpinning functionality of a wide range of multiferroic materials.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 052014 |
| Journal | Journal of Applied Physics |
| Volume | 110 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2011 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Physics and Astronomy
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Watching domains grow: In-situ studies of polarization switching by combined scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver