Effect of external mechanical stress on the domain structure of Pb(Zr 0.35Ti 0.65)O 3 thin films

Abstract

Landau–Devonshire theory is used to investigate the effect of external mechanical stress (or strain) on domain structure and the remanent polarization of Pb(Zr 0.35Ti 0.65)O 3 (PZT) thin films, by considering the competition between the external stress and the intrinsic stresses. A set of intrinsic stress functions in PZT film is obtained by solving elastic mechanical equations. At room temperature, the intrinsic stresses may lead to an alternate a/c/a/c domain structure. While an external in-plane tensile stress increases the Gibbs free energy of the c-phase and decreases that of a-phase. Parts of the c-domains turn to a-domains, so as to reduce the remanent polarization of the PZT films.