Watching domains grow: In-situ studies of polarization switching by combined scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopy

  • Hyejung Chang
  • , Sergei V. Kalinin
  • , Seungyeul Yang
  • , Pu Yu
  • , Saswata Bhattacharya
  • , Ping P. Wu
  • , Nina Balke
  • , Stephen Jesse
  • , Long Q. Chen
  • , Ramamoorthy Ramesh
  • , Stephen J. Pennycook
  • , Albina Y. Borisevich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

63 Scopus citations

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 languageEnglish (US)
Article number052014
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume110
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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