Abstract
For ferroelectric ionic-conductors, polarization switching is complicated by the interplay between ion mobility and charge screening effects. When the ionic charge carriers also play a key role in the domain reversal, such as in Rb-doped KTiOPO4 (RKTP), a higher level of complexity is introduced. RKTP provides an ideal platform for investigating the relationship between ionic conductivity and polarization reversal because its highly anisotropic crystal properties allow selective modification of material characteristics through diffusive cation doping. Here, we use indiffused Ba/K doping to create a significant increase in the ionic conductivity. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is employed to map Ba/K doping within the RKTP crystal and correlate it to changes in ionic mobility and polarization switching characteristics under an external field applied to the nonpolar face. Using band-excitation piezoresponse force microscopy, we demonstrate a selective switching-inhibition mechanism driven by the enhanced charge screening.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 031110 |
| Journal | APL Materials |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2025 |
Funding
This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) (2021-04912) and the Carl Trygger Foundation. The microscopy and chemical imaging research was supported by the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is a US Department of Energy, Office of Science User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.