Abstract
This study explores the ferroelectric domain structure and mechanical properties of PbTiO3-based membranes, which develop a well-ordered and crystallographic-oriented ripple pattern upon release from their growth substrate. The ferrolectric domain structure of the PbTiO3 layer is examined at various length scales using optical second harmonic generation, piezoresponse force microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. These methods reveal the presence of purely in-plane domains organized into superdomains at the crest of the ripples, while an in-plane/out-of-plane domain structure is observed in the flat regions separating the ripples, in agreement with phase-field simulations. The mechanical properties of the membranes are assessed using contact resonance force microscopy, which identifies a distinct mechanical behavior at the ripples compared to the flat regions. This study shows that the physical properties of the ferroelectric layer in membranes can be locally controlled within an ordered array of ripples with well-defined geometric characteristics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e06338 |
| Journal | Small |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 41 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 16 2025 |
Funding
C.-J.-R., G.-S., and L.T. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) under Contract No. MB22.00071, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant No. 332 GBMF10451 to A.D.C.), the European Research Council (ERC), by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the VIDI (project 016.Vidi.189.061 to A.D.C.), the ENW-GROOT (project TOPCORE) programmes and by the Swiss National Science Foundation – division II (200020 207338). The authors acknowledge the Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy (CIME) at EPFL for providing access to their electron microscopy facilities. L.T. and C.L. acknowledge support by Division II of the Swiss National Science Foundation under project 200021_200636. S.C. acknowledges the support from the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education (RS-2024-00413670). J.H., P.M., and P.O. acknowledge the assistance provided by the Operational Programme Johannes Amos Comenius of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, within the frame of project Ferroic Multifunctionalities (FerrMion) (Project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004591), co-funded by the European Union. The authors thank Dr. Mattias Matthiesen for his support, and Dr. Kumara Cordero Edwards for the useful insights on the PFM analysis. Open access publishing facilitated by Universite de Geneve, as part of the Wiley - Universite de Geneve agreement via the Consortium Of Swiss Academic Libraries. C.‐J.‐R., G.‐S., and L.T. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) under Contract No. MB22.00071, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant No. 332 GBMF10451 to A.D.C.), the European Research Council (ERC), by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the VIDI (project 016.Vidi.189.061 to A.D.C.), the ENW‐GROOT (project TOPCORE) programmes and by the Swiss National Science Foundation – division II (200020 207338). The authors acknowledge the Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy (CIME) at EPFL for providing access to their electron microscopy facilities. L.T. and C.L. acknowledge support by Division II of the Swiss National Science Foundation under project 200021_200636. S.C. acknowledges the support from the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education (RS‐2024‐00413670). J.H., P.M., and P.O. acknowledge the assistance provided by the Operational Programme Johannes Amos Comenius of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, within the frame of project Ferroic Multifunctionalities (FerrMion) (Project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004591), co‐funded by the European Union. The authors thank Dr. Mattias Matthiesen for his support, and Dr. Kumara Cordero Edwards for the useful insights on the PFM analysis.
Keywords
- ferroelectric domains
- ferroelectrics
- flexible electronics
- oxide membranes
- strain