Dynamic Behavior of Twins In BaTiO3

Abstract

AbstractThe most prominent lattice defects in barium titanate, i.e., twins on two distinct lattice planes { 111 } and { 110 }, were characterized using dynamic transmission electron microscopy techniques in the image and diffraction modes. In-situ heating experiments from room temperature up to 130°C and then cooling down to -168°C reveal a dependence of { 110 } twins on ferroelectric transition. On the other hand, { 111 } twins are found to be completely stable through the ferroelectric transition and exist in all phases. Streaking is observed in the diffraction spots leading to an estimation of { 1111 twin wall thickness to be about 10Å while no such streaking was observed corresponding to { 1101 twins. Based on these observations and the behavior of the twin boundaries under dynamic heating cycles, an estimate of the twin wall energies indicates that { 111 } walls have three orders of magnitude higher energy than that of { 110 } walls which explains their relative thermal and mechanical stability.