Mechanically Induced Ferroelectric Switching in BaTiO3 Thin Films

The ability to reverse or switching the polarization of a ferroelectric thin film through a mechanical force under an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip offers the exciting possibility of a voltage-free control of ferroelectricity. One of the important metrics for characterizing such a switching process is the critical force Fc required to reverse a polarization. However, the experimentally measured values of Fc display a large uncertainty and vary significantly even for the same ferroelectric film. Here, using BaTiO3 thin films as a model system, we systematically evaluate Fc using a combination of AFM-based experiments and phase-field simulations. In particular, we study the influence of the AFM tip radius, misfit strain, and film thickness on Fc as well as the interplay between the flexoelectric and piezoelectric effects. This work provides a deeper understanding on the mechanism and control of mechanically induced ferroelectric switching and thus guidance for exploring potential ferroelectric-based nanodevices based on mechanical switching.

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Work Title Mechanically Induced Ferroelectric Switching in BaTiO3 Thin Films
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Bo Wang
  2. Haidong Lu
  3. Chung Wung Bark
  4. Chang-Beom Eom
  5. Alexei Gruverman
  6. Long-Qing Chen
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Acta Materialia
Publication Date May 16, 2020
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2020.04.032
Deposited August 10, 2022

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Version 1
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  • Added Creator Sandra Elder
  • Added Mechanically Induced Ferroelectric Switching in BaTiO3 Thin Films.pdf
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    Publisher
    • Acta Materialia
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2020.04.032
    Description
    • The ability to reverse or switching the polarization of a ferroelectric thin film through a mechanical
    • force under an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip offers the exciting possibility of a voltage-free
    • control of ferroelectricity. One of the important metrics for characterizing such a switching process
    • is the critical force Fc required to reverse a polarization. However, the experimentally measured
    • values of Fc display a large uncertainty and vary significantly even for the same ferroelectric film.
    • Here, using BaTiO3 thin films as a model system, we systematically evaluate Fc using a
    • combination of AFM-based experiments and phase-field simulations. In particular, we study the
    • influence of the AFM tip radius, misfit strain, and film thickness on Fc as well as the interplay
    • between the flexoelectric and piezoelectric effects. This work provides a deeper understanding on
    • the mechanism and control of mechanically induced ferroelectric switching and thus guidance for
    • exploring potential ferroelectric-based nanodevices based on mechanical switching.
    • The ability to reverse or switching the polarization of a ferroelectric thin film through a mechanical force under an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip offers the exciting possibility of a voltage-free control of ferroelectricity. One of the important metrics for characterizing such a switching process is the critical force Fc required to reverse a polarization. However, the experimentally measured values of Fc display a large uncertainty and vary significantly even for the same ferroelectric film. Here, using BaTiO3 thin films as a model system, we systematically evaluate Fc using a combination of AFM-based experiments and phase-field simulations. In particular, we study the influence of the AFM tip radius, misfit strain, and film thickness on Fc as well as the interplay
    • between the flexoelectric and piezoelectric effects. This work provides a deeper understanding on the mechanism and control of mechanically induced ferroelectric switching and thus guidance for exploring potential ferroelectric-based nanodevices based on mechanical switching.
    Publication Date
    • 2020-07
    • 2020-05-16
  • Deleted Creator Sandra Elder
  • Added Creator Bo Wang
  • Added Creator Haidong Lu
  • Added Creator Chung Wung Bark
  • Added Creator Chang-Beom Eom
  • Added Creator Alexei Gruverman
  • Added Creator Long-Qing Chen
  • Updated