Ionic field effect and memristive phenomena in single-point ferroelectric domain switching

Anton V. Ievlev, Anna N. Morozovska, Eugene A. Eliseev, Vladimir Ya Shur, Sergei V. Kalinin

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Abstract

Electric field-induced polarization switching underpins most functional applications of ferroelectric materials in information technology, materials science and optoelectronics. Recently, much attention has been focused on the switching of individual domains using scanning probe microscopy. The classical picture of tip-induced switching, including formation of cylindrical domains with size, is largely determined by the field distribution and domain wall motion kinetics. The polarization screening is recognized as a necessary precondition to the stability of ferroelectric phase; however, screening processes are generally considered to be uniformly efficient and not leading to changes in switching behaviour. Here we demonstrate that single-point tip-induced polarization switching can give rise to a surprisingly broad range of domain morphologies, including radial and angular instabilities. These behaviours are traced to the surface screening charge dynamics, which in some cases can even give rise to anomalous switching against the electric field (ionic field effect).

Original languageEnglish
Article number4545
JournalNature Communications
Volume5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 28 2014

Funding

A part of this research (A.V.I. and S.V.K.) was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is sponsored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy. A.N.M. and E.A.E. acknowledge the support via bilateral SFFR-NSF project (U.S. National Science Foundation under NSF-DMR-1210588, State Fund of Fundamental State Fund of Fundamental Research of Ukraine, grant UU48/002), CNMS user project 2013-293 and National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (grant 35-02-14). V.Y.S. acknowledge CNMS user proposal, RFBR and Government of Sverdlovsk region (grant 13-02-96041-r-Ural) and RFBR (grant 13-02-01391-a). We gratefully acknowledge Yuriy Pershin and Daria Khanukaeva for valuable discussions.

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