Anomalous ferroelectric switching dynamics in single crystalline SrTiO3

Abstract

Pure SrTiO3 in bulk form is known to be an “incipient ferroelectric” where the quantum fluctuations of lattice positions prevent long range ferroelectric ordering at a finite temperature. We show evidence and identify the origin of ferroelectric relaxation up to nearly room temperature in single crystalline SrTiO3. Strikingly, the origin of the observed ferroelectric switching is intrinsic which is the coherent switching of surface nanopolar regions and not due to the nucleation and growth of domains, as described by the Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi Model.