Mechanical strain modulation of domain wall currents across LiNbO3 nanosensors

Abstract

Recently, studies on low-dimensional conducting domain walls (DWs) in insulating ferroelectrics have opened up new research areas that allow information to be mechanically written and electrically read on the nanoscale. Large strains in thin films can change the polarization gradient across the DW region and thus increasing the DW current significantly. This phenomenon can enable the development of high sensitivity mechanical vibration sensors. In this study, the effects of variable uniaxial strain on the structures of 180° conducting DWs in LiNbO3 (LNO) single-crystal thin films bonded onto Si/SiO2 substrates were investigated. After the creation of antiparallel domains within each LNO nanosensor integrated at the film surface, strain modulation of DW currents was observed through simple mechanical bending of the film. The DW current increases under application of tensile strain along the axis of polarization, but decreases under application of in-plane compression by a factor of approximately 25. Phase field simulations showed the dramatic change in polarization gradients around the DW regions under the increase in tensile strain, which reduced the band gap. Repetitive band-gap narrowing/broadening with change in local electric field intensity under vibrating mechanical forces can periodically modulate both the carrier density and the DW conduction in the sensors. This finding not only provides the new fundamental physics to enrich the ferroelectric theory, but also paves the way to the near-future development of bending actuators, piezolighters, and micro-/nano-manipulators, etc.