Abstract
Ferroelectrics are materials exhibiting spontaneous electric polarization due to dipoles formed by displacements of charged ions inside the crystal unit cell. Their exceptional properties are exploited in a variety of microelectronic applications. As ferroelectricity is strongly influenced by surfaces, interfaces and domain boundaries, there is great interest in exploring how the local atomic structure affects the electric properties. Here, using the negative spherical-aberration imaging technique in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, we investigate the cation-oxygen dipoles near 180 degrees domain walls in epitaxial PbZr(0.2)Ti(0.8)O(3) thin films on the atomic scale. The width and dipole distortion across a transversal wall and a longitudinal wall are measured, and on this basis the local polarization is calculated. For the first time, a large difference in atomic details between charged and uncharged domain walls is reported.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
