Real space mapping of polarization dynamics and hysteresis loop formation in relaxor-ferroelectric PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3- PbTiO3 solid solutions

B. J. Rodriguez, S. Jesse, A. N. Morozovska, S. V. Svechnikov, D. A. Kiselev, A. L. Kholkin, A. A. Bokov, Z. G. Ye, S. V. Kalinin

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Abstract

Polarization switching in ergodic relaxor and ferroelectric phases in the PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) system is studied using piezoresponse force microscopy, single point electromechanical relaxation measurements, and voltage spectroscopy mapping. The dependence of relaxation behavior on voltage pulse amplitude and time is found to follow a universal logarithmic behavior with a nearly constant slope. This behavior is indicative of the progressive population of slow relaxation states, as opposed to a linear relaxation in the presence of a broad relaxation time distribution. The role of relaxation behavior, ferroelectric nonlinearity, and the spatial inhomogeneity of the tip field on hysteresis loop behavior is analyzed in detail. The hysteresis loops for ergodic PMN-10%PT are shown to be kinetically limited, while in PMN with larger PT content, true ferroelectric hysteresis loops with low nucleation biases are observed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number042006
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume108
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 15 2010

Funding

This research is supported by the Center for Nanoscale Materials Sciences (B.J.R., S.J., S.V.K.) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Division of Scientific User Facilities, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy and was part of a CNMS User Program (CNMS2007-085). The research is also sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine and the National Science Foundation through the Materials World Network, Grant No. DMR-0908718(A.N.M. and S.V.S.). D.A.K. and A.L.K. are grateful to Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (PhD fellowship grant SFTH/BD/22391/2005 and project PTDC/FIS/81442/2006). The work is further supported (A.A.B., Z.G.Y.) by the Office of Naval Research (Grant No. N00014-06-1-0166). B.J.R. also acknowledges the support of UCD Research. We thank Nanotec Electronica for providing the free software WSxM, which has been used to process images in Figs. (http://www.nanotec.es).

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