The 90° domain splitting and electromechanical behaviors in ferroelectric thin films with triangle anti-dot array

Abstract

The 90°-domain structure in ferroelectrics of tetragonal symmetry is one of the core ingredients determining the ferroelectric and electromechanical performances. We perform Monte Carlo simulations on the splitting of the 90° twin-like domains in ferroelectric thin films with differently oriented triangle anti-dot arrays. It is revealed that the domain splitting is substantially dependent of the array orientation, and thus the piezoelectric and dielectric responses are the orientation-dependent too. The mechanism for the domain structure evolution is the competition between the dipole–dipole interaction and electromechanical energy, similar to the cases of square anti-dot arrays. The present work suggests the role of geometry and symmetry of the anti-dot array in modulating the electromechanical behaviors of 90°-domained ferroelectric thin films.